Epiphany: An Illuminating Discovery

On the twelfth day of Christmas my True Love gave to me

an Epiphany!

 

 

 

 

 Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely,

just as God knows me now.

 

There are three things that will endure

 — faith, hope, and love —

and the greatest of these is love.

 

Let love be your highest goal,

but also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives . . .

1 Corinthians 13:11-14:1 NLT

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Love is . . .

On the eleventh day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,

more than eleven facets of love.

 

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

 Love never dies.

 

(1Corinthians 13:4-8a The Message)

Tenets: Principles to Hold Us Together

On the tenth day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,

ten tenets for holy living.

 

 

1. You must not have any other god but Me.

 

2. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

3. You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

4. Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

5. Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

6. You must not murder.

7. You must not commit adultery.

8. You must not steal.

9. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

10. You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

 

 

(from Exodus 20:3-17 NLT,

renumbered for the purpose of this blog post)

Fruitful: An Abundant Yield

^{On the ninth day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,}

^{nine gifts for fruiful living.}

 

 

 

But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
(Galatians 5:22,23a The Message)

Beatitude: A Statement of Utmost Bliss

On the eighth day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,

eight statements of utmost bliss.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matthew 5:3-10 NKJV)


A Beatitude is a formula phrase, well-known from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. It starts with "Blessed are," and this phrase can be found throughout Scripture. Look for it in the Psalms, Proverbs and even Revelation.

In literary terms, a beatitude can be defined as an aphorism. An aphorism is a concise, memorable statement of truth. It is a pronouncement of blessing, more than a wish for blessing; it’s a desired quality of life. (paraphrased from Delight of Words by Leland Ryken)

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word, "barak" is translated "to bless." In Mounce's Expository Dictionary, he explains the outcome of God's blessing:

"When God blesses, it is not an impotent wish but the empowering and transforming word that accomplishes its purpose. To pronounce a blessing carries a sense of inevitability such that, once it has been uttered, it cannot be retracted."

He compares a human blessing upon others not as "magical, but as a prayer offered to a sovereign God." (Mounce)

As I enter the new year, I challenged myself to choose one beatitude and ask God to transform me into its truth. I chose with much trepidation and expectation:

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

I believe God fulfills the desires and aspirations of our prayers, but I also know that purity comes through refining fire.

God, be with me, as I enter Your intentions for 2013. Amen!


 

Desire: Strong Intention or Aim

 

On the seventh day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,

seven synonyms for Desire.

 

 

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)

Choosing one word for the year to inform my path. Others came up with the idea and so I wanted to try it this year. Here's a link that gives tips on how to choose your word. It will be interesting to see how one word informs a year full of living and choosing and believing and breathing God's word.

Desire (v): to long or hope for.

Seven Synonyms: Crave, Hunger, Long,

Thirst, Want, Wish, Yearn

Desire. That's my one word. It comes from the Latin, "de-" (from) plus "sider, sidus" (heavenly body). From those roots, I reach out to the Maker of the heavenly lights, rooting my desire in Him. Asking that my desires this year be imbued with His perfection and goodness, knowing full well that my human desires may be tainted by selfishness and pain.
 
Desire. Disguised want. I wanted to choose "want" for my focal word, but it didn't look or sound as nice as desire. Want defined comes out a little more on the half empty side; it has various nuances like to be needy or destitute or to be in need of. Lack would be a good synonym.
 
Desire. Want. Lack. What do these words have in common? An outside source that fulfills. Invitation to live with less than, to embrace my own neediness, to confess my destitute state, these truths compel me to stay near the Shepherd, who is good and promises me that I shall not be in want.
 

Linking up with: One Word 365 Community

and

 

 

 

Sing Praise!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me

six reasons to sing praise!

 

 

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and

bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
(Isaiah 55:10-12 NIV)

 

 

1. Snow: We're going to have a white

New Year's Eve!

 

 

2. Bread: Making homemade bagels, a snow day tradition!

 

 

 

3. Word: Going to hide God's word in my heart in 2013 using the 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart app and Kindle e-book!

 

100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart by Robert J. Morgan

Photo credit:

B&H Publishing Group

 

 

4. Joy: Christmas is forever!

 

 

 

5. Desire: Word of the year! Thanks to Melanie from Only a Breath for designing my free button! Check out her Bible reading printables and other fun stuff on her blog. I look forward to following her in 2013 for creative and spiritual encouragement!

 

 

 

 

 

desire fulfilled is a tree of life

(Proverbs 13:12b)

 

 

6. Peace: Forgiven!

 

 





True Love

 

 

 

On the fourth day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,

four calls to love.

Love the Lord your God

with all your heart and

with all your soul and

with all your mind and

with all your strength.
(Mark 12:30 NIV)

 

 

On the fifth day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,

five golden rules.

This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
(1 John 3:11 NIV)

 

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
(1 John 3:23-24 NIV)

Dear friends, let us love one another , for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
(1 John 4:7 NIV)

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another , God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12 NIV)

Love your neighbor as yourself.
(Mark 12:31 NIV)

 



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Three French Words

On the third day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me

three French words: Joie de vivre!

 

  

You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.

(Psalm 16:11 NLT)

 

 

Today finds me curled up on the couch, nursing a cold. Not feeling much joie de vivre. The common cold doesn't provide much joy of living. But joy doesn't always means happiness or health. I accepted my cold (which I am thankful came now, instead of last weekend). I settled into reading and then watching some films that I had on my Christmas wish list.

 

I watched The Nativity, which I hadn't viewed in a long time. The setting and narrative action gives the sense of being there. The writer of the screenplay opens with Herod's edict to kill all children under the age of two. A horrific portrait of power mongering fueled by pride and paranoia.

 

This tragedy is juxtaposed with scenes leading up to the birth of Jesus. The action takes place with hints of the gospel parables. Vineyards, wind blowing the leaves, figs and grapes and wheat harvest. Chaff blowing in the wind.

 

And the people of the story. Elizabeth and Zechariah stunned by the joy of a son in their old age. Mary scared, but willing to believe the impossible. Joseph who wavers with his own fears, but believes the good news of the angel.

 

"A son will be born to her, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21 NLT)

 

 

This is the real joy. The joy of God's salvation. This is cause for joie de vivre!

 

 



The Candidates

On the second day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me,
words wrapped in books, silently sitting beside me
 like two turtledoves of peace.


Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
(Proverbs 3:3 ESV)

 

 

As I gleaned my shelf for a devotional, I also gathered the various books on writing that I have collected over the years. I stacked them on the couch along with a few other books that are on my "reading" list.

 

I like looking at the stack and thinking I may really read some of these books this year. I will read bits and pieces, and I almost always read the introductions. Some of the best inspiration comes to me from reading the preface or the introduction of a book.

 

My desire to include, A Pen and a Path, on the list, started that way. The author, Sarah Stockton, compares writing to building a nest:

 

"Just as the bird builds a nest with grass and twigs and mud as a container for new life, so the woman creates with words a container to hold and sustain her own life. Asking God to be present as she writes, she weaves her dreams, her intentions, her fears, her sorrows, and her greatest joys into a home for her overflowing spirit. The raw materials of her life become a nest, and the nest becomes both a container for her life so far, and a place from which to continue the journey forward."

 

 

 

I consider this stack of books my potential coaches and cheerleaders to keep me at the craft. I am looking to stretch my writing abilities, to explore new territories beyond journaling and blogging. I want to try my hand at fiction or memoir. I look forward to calling myself a novelist or freelance writer. Just some dreams woven with intention.

 

Below are my candidates: 

 

The Art of Fiction by John Garner

Leaving a Trace by Alexandra Johnson

The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray

A Pen and A Path by Sarah Stockton

Freelance Writing by Marcia Yudkin

Old Friend from Far Away by Natalie Goldberg

Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach

One Year to a Writing Life By Susan M. Tiberghien

The Soul Tells a Story by Vinita Hampton Wright

 

 

Some I will chat with by browsing their contents, others I will get into deep conversation with by reading from cover to cover. And hopefully one or two will become my mentors, who give me exercises to improve my writing. 

 

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The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas, my True Love gave to me

solitude like a partridge in a pear tree.

Often this time of year, I am looking for something new. Like a new devotional or a new Bible that will inspire me to read it everyday. Sometimes I want a new journal or some new music to serenade me into the new year.

I started this day with two lovely coffee dates. One to catch up with a friend from town and the other to visit with a friend here from out of town. Little did they know that they fulfilled my desire for something new.

One gave me a Josh Wilson CD in a sweet little gift bag, with these words:

 

The other gave me a journal with a card wishing me JOY!

 

 

This evening, I shopped my bookshelves for a devotional for 2013. A couple years ago, I bought The One Year Coffee with God devotional by Sarah Arthur. In it, she mentions a prayer guide that follows the liturgical year called A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants. I came across it in my book hunt in the basement. The readings for this week were under the title: All Things New. Oh, how I love a theme.

 

All things new, this is the cry of my heart, especially the day after the feast of Christmas. What's next? How will I occupy myself for the next twelve days? In the morning I made a lofty goal of reading twelve books, one a day. Ha! Instead, I'm just going to read, whatever the Spirit leads. I did read Psalm 65 today. Yum! Nourishing words of hope and joy!

 

The psalmist observes: "You crown the year with  your bounty . . ." (Psalm 65:11 ESV), a great summary of this year and hope for the next. Year after year Jehovah provides. I will make my plans, goals and resolutions, only to waver after a burst of enthusiasm. I have been here before, and yet again God will crown my feeble efforts with His grace.