Merry Christmas, my Friends! How are y’all doing this wonderful time of year? I hope and Pray all is well with you and yours through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
I know this time of year can be wonderful for some and difficult for others, depending on where y’all live in the Continental US. For a fair swath of the Upper States, there is already snow on the ground, say from Oklahoma into Canada and from Northern California to Maine. And what a wonderful sight it is to behold, so white and so pure; and it is comprised of nothing more than Snowflakes – frozen water, if you will.
I know the cards are everywhere showing a single snowflake, but do you realize each flake is different from the next one? Now that is something fantastic to consider! It’s sort of like looking at Trees. I have ‘Live Oak Trees’ all around our property, and they are absolutely gorgeous! One thing to note once again: every tree is different and every leaf is different from the others as well. How amazing is that? Our Lord and Savior is genuinely a Fantastic Creator to be able to do this. The question then is, how many are taking this knowledge to heart and enjoying it, as well as showing our Gratitude to HIM?
I was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and I have been back home before, in February no less. I know that the snow is not something they especially enjoy, being that they have mountains of snow every year. My first experience with snow was in Anchorage as we were flying to join my Dad in the Philippines. Our plane slipped off the runway – one wheel – into the soft ground, and we had to be escorted off the plane and into buses. We were then taken to another plane to continue our 18-hour journey, finally landing at Clark AFB Philippines.
As we left the plane, I remember the wind being so very cold that the snow crunched under our feet. I do not think there was a single person dressed appropriately for this Alaskan weather; yet, under the circumstances, we all pulled together until we were in the warm Terminal.
Every single kid on the plane was so very excited by this short venture in the snow, yet the Parents were scrambling to keep us together and safe. Of course this was back in the mid 1960’s; so many things were different back then, but…what a thrill it was! Never did we ever consider the danger involved with a Plane sliding off the runway. To be honest, most were concerned with our comforts: food, warmth and definitely stretching our legs. 18 hours in planes is a very long time!
Nowadays, I spend a great deal of time considering the Small Things. As I have written in previous articles, words like FEW, also the usage of Is or Like in Hebrew and Greek – it is so strange to me that such small differences in what the Bible says can be totally different because of these small words. It has also inspired me to look at so many other things as well, like snowflakes and the ‘Luminin’ that holds Atomic particles together, shaped like the Cross of Jesus Christ. How odd is that?
We spend far too much time on the bigger and less important things in our lives, as well as forgetting to Praise the Lord for so much of the Blessings we receive. Each and every snowflake is different and so individual from other flakes. Luminin appears to resemble the Cross of Jesus Christ…is this coincidence… or for a more important reason?
So many people say “There is no God,” and yet they never consider how much the Lord presents HIMSELF in the smallest of things. How many take the time to consider the Trees, the snowflakes and the luminin? So very few…sadly. How about all the flowers, people, animals and insects? They resemble others of their species, and yet no two are exactly alike. What was that…’Evolution?’ That makes us appear ignorant to say the least. Creation is the answer!
It is sort of like other things that are in the Word of God, like Romans 11:36 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
We need our Doctors and other Medical Professionals, indeed; they assist us in seeing things we could never imagine prior. The question is, why do so many miss the Blessings of the Lord in our everyday lives? Solely because we are too preoccupied with everything else. And then to add Sorrow by never realizing the Lord God loves us and never giving HIM the Praise HE deserves, to include the little things as well. Humans can be so ignorant and self-absorbed most of the time!
Reread the passage of Scripture above, then look around yourself. Take the time, and then be so surprised by it all! The Love for us from the Father in Heaven goes far beyond our ability to comprehend, and yet there is so little recognition of HIM…by so many! We are indeed the Fallen Species. How odd is it that ‘ignorance and arrogance’ are so much alike…am I correct? We are filled to the rim with both. Everything we have is taken from the earth that was created by the Lord God. We humans have never created a single thing! And then we are so arrogant…to what end?
I remember when we arrived in the Philippines, so many flowers and trees – Palms, Banana Trees, Water-filled trees…so many! And yet each was so very beautiful to behold! Everything grew at such an alarming rate; the soil was so very fertile, and the rain was abundant! Tell me once again how humans brought this about? Yes it’s true; bugs and birds and lizards by the billions!
I had never heard about a Gecko before going to the Philippines. Come the dark of night, these little things would come out and almost cover the walls and ceilings in our houses. They would be everywhere, squeaking and chirping. They kept the bugs at bay, and they were so helpful…until one would fall on you in the bed at night! It took a while to get used to them, and they were so funny to watch, scrambling for cover if you turn on a light. Who is responsible for all these things? Who made it such a joy to live with and experience?
I remember when I first got to Thailand. I was sitting outside one early evening, and there was this huge cloud that appeared on the horizon. I thought, well here comes the rain. I was so very surprised that the cloud was totally made up of what they called Mingda. It’s actually a beetle that feeds on rice, but they are at least ten times bigger than a roach! They were everywhere and into everything; no place was safe from them. They were huge, and they looked menacing as well!
After a while I got used to them, and I even made a few bucks off of them. I would get big plastic bags and pick them up, and then I would sell them downtown…the locals loved to eat them. Eeew! Anyways, I could get two Baht for the Pooyings (Larger Females) and one Baht for the Poochi’s (Smaller males). Although it was very rare, I knew one G.I. that got stung by one. Everything requires some level of care to handle.
I also had the opportunity to see in Vietnam a Spider web the size of an ordinary wall. The spider would catch and eat Birds…whew…creeped me out! Yet that was still amazing to behold! I Love the Orient. Okay…Okay, maybe some parts of it; the others were a bit…skin-crawly…to deal with, BUT…the Lord created all these things. HE deserves the Praise!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
So this Christmas season, what are YOU thankful for? Good Health…Good Food…a House over your head… Family and Friends? WHAT? Please remember this:
John 14:5-7 “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”
How small is the time that you spend with the Lord in Prayer? Does HE fill your entire being? Do you realize, YOU are still here by the Grace of our Lord? HE gives you the next Breath of air and the next Heartbeat. Again… “without HIM…ye can do nothing!”
John 15:4-5 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
It’s always the little things! Do you remember the last time you were all hot and tired? You picked up that glass of cold water…how refreshing was that first sip…it was exhilarating, wasn’t it? The Lord God did that for you. Give HIM the Praise! HE deserves it…you didn’t create the water…HE did…you didn’t even make it cold…HE did. How GREAT is that? Again…it’s always the small things!
How odd is it…and why should it be this way…to miss the little things…to miss Praising the Lord God for them? Why does it take getting old before you take the time to experience all these little things? And why is it that so FEW thank the Lord God for all HIS Blessings to you and me?
Remember this…you think these are so wonderful here on earth? Wait till you get to Heaven… everything will be more fantastic than you or I could ever imagine…the Bible tells us so. From God’s own lips to your and my ears! Thank you Lord…thank you, thank you, thank you!
Have a very Merry Christmas and great New Year…in the Lord!
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
All Passages of Scripture come from the King James Version of the Bible.
All Emphasis is mine.