For Shannon and Selah

In September 2006 I made this cake for my best friend, Shannon Ragland (author of the birthday poem). Shannon has since brought into the world the beautiful Selah Lilingrace Ragland, born October 26th. This was my first attempt at cake decorating in 12 years. Thank you Shannon for inspiring me to revive a former passion.

Joy

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. (Psalm 126:3)

Joy. Such an innocuous 3-letter word, yet…we can be filled with it, lacking in it, robbed of it. I daresay almost every book in the Bible will have references to it—yes, even Job mentions joy on at least nine occasions. But what does it mean? If we have it, what are we supposed to do with it? If we don’t have it, how do we get it? If we had it, but allowed it to be taken, how do we get it back?

For those of you with joy to spare, praise God! My question is, however, what are you doing with it? Do you find ways to bring joy to others less fortunate in circumstance? Do you share with the world the source of your joy so they may have it for themselves (Mat 5:15-16)? Do you take it for granted? Hide it "under a bushel?" Remember, with God's help, there is no greater joy than bringing light to someone else's darkness.

Next--and pay attention Christians—genuine, lasting joy comes from God (Ps 19:8; Ps 30:11)! It does not come from your spouse, child, best friend, family, career—fill in the blank. Don’t get me wrong, He certainly provides those things for our pleasure and well-being, but they are fleeting at best (Ps 144:4). But this is the great news! God is always with us; therefore joy is always available to us. If you are lacking in joy today (John 16:24), ask yourself where you’ve been looking for it.

Finally, the joy-robbers…whether you are one or you know one, pay attention. If you watch SNL you are familiar with “Debbie Downer;” if not, you probably know someone just like her. Debbie’s glass is not only half-empty, there’s a fly floating in the bottom of it. With a gleam in her eye, she can’t wait to point out your shortcomings (in Christian love of course), dismiss or criticize your feelings/dreams and give you the death toll and statistical breakdown of every new debilitating disease or natural disaster. Spend half an hour with her and she will drain the joy from a room quicker than a Dementor (see footnote) in a Harry Potter film. If you are one, shame on you! If you’ve allowed one to infiltrate your psyche—stop it! CHOOSE joy! No one can take away what God has given! He has given us a command (1Thes 5:16-21) and made us a promise (Ps 19:8)—he is ready to deliver—just ask him (Ps 28:7; Ps 51:12, Prov 29:6, Rom 12:12)! I could list scriptures all day, but you get the point. Look them up--pray them in! Specifically, say a prayer for the joy-robbers in your life, or repent for stealing joy from those you are called to love.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you. You alone are my strength, my shield, my hope and my heart. Sustain me. Give me the words to say and joy to spare so that I may lift up those around me. Restore me. When life happens, help me remember my inner joy comes from You, not the fleeting things of this world. Grant me patience when mere humans seek to extinguish Your light within me and remind me of the hope I have of life everlasting with you in your kingdom. In Christ’s name, amen.

*Dementor: Soul-sucking creature who feeds on positive emotions, happiness & good memories of humans. The very presence of a dementor makes the surrounding atmosphere grow cold and dark.

"Gizmo" A Tribute

My darling boy…
I will miss you

Beautiful fur
finespun amber silk
I will miss you

Adoring eyes
Burnt umber pools
I will miss you

Smile askew
Drawing me in
I will miss you

Faithful sidekick
Forever friend, bedfellow
I will miss you

Infectious exuberance
Bounding, rolling, spinning
I will miss you

My darling boy,
I will miss you

"Holly" A Birthday Poem

Oh, the ornamental face of the constant evergreen
The classic figure of a winter's clean cool.
Variegated, protective and aromatic,
With an affinity for control and the sparkle of a jewel.

So dark and beautiful, so enduring and faithful,
An air of friendly detachment and aristocratic goodwill.
Vigorous, adaptable and longing,
A prick of your finger will only draw you nearer still

God's Princess

"All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold." Psalm 45:13

As a little girl, I dreamed of growing up to be a princess. I inhaled everything I could get my chubby little hands on about Princess Diana, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and others. What did I believe being a princess would mean to my average middle-class life? For starters, I knew princesses possessed great beauty. No handsome prince could resist my dazzling beauty and charm. Unfathomable wealth. With vast wealth, I could build a grand palace so all of my friends (and a menagerie of pets) could live "happily ever after." Finally, great wisdom and intellect. A princess must "rule" her kingdom wisely, and obtain the respect and adoration of her court. In essence, I wanted to be gorgeous, charming, wealthy, brilliant and adored.

As an adult, I decided to reevaluate what it meant to be a princess in the eyes of God. As we are created in God's image (Gen 1:27), I wanted to know what qualities a princess in His kingdom should possess. There are typically 5 points on a royal crown, representing 5 qualities God tells me are essential to a modern-day princess in His court:

• grace: A princess exhibits grace and kindness to those around her. (Col 3:12)
• leadership: A princess must be a lamp to those entrusted to her care. (Mat 5:15-16)
• wisdom: A princess must guard against the enemies of the kingdom. (Ps 31:8)
• peace: A princess wants peace in the kingdom and in her own heart. (Phil 4:7)
• love: A princess must be able to give and receive love. (1Jn 4:7)

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your unfailing love. Help me to be graceful and kind even to those who wish to persecute me. Give me the wisdom to recognize the difference between your will and my own. Guard me against the world's lies and lead me in your truths. Teach me to be not a stumbling block, but a light to those you've entrusted to me. Grant me peace as I rest and reflect on your promises. Fill me with an understanding of the depth and breadth of your love for me. In Christ's name I pray, amen.