Christmas at 256

We're waiting for snow here in Virginia

I've been watching this beautiful aviary shown above in Bowman's Garden Center for about 7 months. It was far too indulgent of a price, but I admired it from afar. Last week at Starbucks, I ran into one of the owners and mentioned how much I loved that piece. He said, "Take it, I'll give it to you half price. You can see it displayed on the built-in book case.

My godson and I had fun putting it together and getting the lights inside. Please enjoy the rest of the decorations. The silver tea service is extremely precious to me. It was my grandmothers and we would polish it together when I went over to her house.

A Member of Our Family

Last week, I was visiting my sister in Atlanta. At the same time, one of the inner-city kids I mentor got himself into terrible trouble. He made some bad decisions about what type of people he was associating with. However, the bottom line is that he was falsely accused of something I am 100% positive he did not do. Bruce and I are assisting him and have left this in God's hands, believing that (as Romans 8 says) that "All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes."

As I was advocating from afar for Kewon, I was having to make a number of phone calls in the presence of my two young and appropriately sheltered nieces, I realized that, smart as they are, some explanation would be needed.

We all went to IHOP for breakfast and over Funny Face pancakes with whipped cream smiles on them, I struggled with how to explain this all to the girls. They live in a world composed of Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Christian Cheering (GO STINGRAYS), practice for the play, and Christian private school. They are loved, cared for, cherished, and have no concept of what Kewon's life has been about. They live in a house with their Jewish convert father, my sister, who loves the Lord, and their grandparents, a teacher and pastor, respectively.

Finally I said, "I know that we are not used to this in our family, but I guess you've both figured out that Kewon is in trouble. Now, you have been raised to respect the law and police, but it is possible to be falsely accused and arrested and this is what has happened to our friend, Kewon."

Jaime raised her hand. I love when little kids raise their hands to speak outside of school. It is adorable. She said, "I know someone from our family who was falsely accused and arrested."

My sister and I looked at each other across the table, mystified.

"Jesus was falsely accused and arrested."

She is 7.

The Hoosier Cabinet

I've been wanting a Hoosier cabinet for most of my adult life. A Hoosier cabinet was used in the 1920's and 1930's, before it was common to have built-in cabinets and counters in kitchens. Hoosiers were made by various companies over the years. Some had built in flour bins with sifters, some had glass fronted cabinets; there were a variety of styles to choose from.

Now I'm not the kind of girl who gets the crazy good buys at the Salvation Army Thrift Store. That's more Debra from As I See it Now or Manuela from the Pleasures of Homemaking. However, if I only have to get a good deal once, I'm glad it was this one.

I finally have my treasured Hoosier cabinet for the grand total of $100. I think it looks like it was made to be in my kitchen. We removed a counter to slide it into place. The wonderful rooster bins you see were a gift from my mother.

Show Me Your Glory

Exodus 3:18 - 23

18Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

19And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

21Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

I was a Christian for years before I realized that Jesus appears in the Old Testament in disguse. I've heard it said that the Old Testament is Jesus concealed and the New Testament is Jesus revealed. Pre-incarnation appearances of Jesus are called a "theophany."

Jesus appears to Abraham in the desert, he is in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego. (Daniel 3:24 and 25 24Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.)

Jesus is also here with Moses. Jesus IS that rock. Remember the old hymn, "Rock of Ages, Cleft for me. Let me hide myself in Thee."

I love this passage of scripture. There's a lot of great theology here. Imagine, a man of ancient times, leading his people from slavery. Every other God is capricious, subject to change at any moment, basically endowed with human emotion, fickle, selfish, etc. Ashera, Molek, Ishtar...they must be appeased at all times because they are so changeable. Who knows what they'll do next?

Here comes the LORD, the God of Hosts, the I AM, the Eternally Self-Existant One and humanity will never be the same again.

And think about Moses. Here he is before Jehovah God. He can ask for anything. What does he ask? "SHOW ME YOUR GLORY!" How audacious! How trusting! Talk about having your priorities straight. Would I ask to see God's glory or would I ask for my diabetes to be healed? What would you ask for?

Which brings me to my favorite Christian group, Third Day. The link below is to a vide of their song, "Show Me Your Glory." It is the song of Moses with modern words.

Why don't you ask God to show you His glory right now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bo97_jQuUU

Third Day was nominated for three Grammys last week.
http://www.thirdday.com/



Show Me Your Glory

I caught a glimpse of Your splendor
In the corner of my eye
The most beautiful thing I've ever seen
And it was like a flash of lightning
Reflected off the sky
And I know I'll never be the same
Show me Your glory
Send down Your presence
I want to see Your face
Show me Your glory
Majesty shines about You
I can't go on without You, Lord
When I climb down the mountain
And get back to my life
I won't settle for ordinary things
I'm gonna follow You forever
And for all of my days
I won't rest 'til I see You again
Show me Your glory
Show me Your glory
I can't live without You