The tingling of Jingle Bells heard on the streets, Hurried, stressed, shopping, Goose, turkey, deer, lamb or fish on the table, That bring indigestion, Overeating that deadens the guilty pull of our consciences, Blinding us to the fact that over half the world is starving. We get up from our tables, With our plates still full of what we did not eat.
Christmas, The celebration that has been taken over by our arrogance Has been willfully dissected down to a small dot over the i to meet our emotional needs for belonging.
Our demands are for autonomy that separates us from the Creator who made us, demanding recognition as self-made men and women.
The virgin birth quietly disdained.
The God-Man ridiculed for such an unpopular entrance.
Unbelievable, we say.
His birth abhorred. The Savior downgraded.
Christmas,
It’s about humiliation, Believing in the virgin birth of the God-Man who upset the world.
Time changed from Before Christ to Anno Domini And Salvation, That dirty word that people seldom hear,
But when heard too often denied, Opened the door to righteousness for all.
Though rejected by many, Love prevails. Not in the gifts bought in department stores, Not in the glamour of cosmetics, jewelry, or face-lifts, Not in diamonds, silver, or gold,
Not in bonds, securities, puts, or calls,
Not in Christmas trees or cradles, Not in boats, cars, planes, or trains, That transport us away from the diffusion of our congregated confusion.
Christmas exists,
Because God took it upon himself to offer up the One sacrifice that would save us all.
Now Heaven’s gates are opened to all who believe.
That’s Christmas.
For God so loved the World that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16, The New International Version 1984 (NIV), Zondervan
Merry Christmas everyone,
Joyeux Noël à tous
Fröhliche Weihnachten an alle, Buon Natale a tutti
Her hunger to experience all that life had to offer,
Prevailed and seeped into all she was.
Thus,
The anger,
The sadness,
The disappointment,
The doubts,
Raged through her body when told her number one enemy had returned.
It shocked her.
She was caught on her blindside.
A slow process began.
Days ran into weeks,
Weeks into months.
Her indomitable spirit,
Strengthened daily by faith overcame her darkness,
And her fighter’s heart dived into the Word of God to find her reality.
That was our Moni.
That Partner and I were chosen to walk with her was no coincidence.
God doesn’t create coincidences.
He creates facts.
Neither of us knew where the journey would lead.
A time frame wasn’t given.
We didn’t even have a road map.
But that’s nothing new.
Moses didn’t have a roadmap either.
So, like many people who have gone on before us,
We did the most reliable thing.
We prayed and sought God daily,
Sometimes every hour throughout the day and night,
As we accompanied her through every danger that came her way,
And we did whatever the responsibility called for
No matter the cost of time and effort or whatever,
Because of our Moni.
Oh how joyful it was to see her eyes light up,
When the praise team arrived.
For four weeks she held church in her hospital room.
And invited the nurses and patients to join her.
Some did.
Others,
Marveled at her faith,
Her hope,
Her undying love for the God she served.
That was our Moni.
Partner soon became the medical doctor,
Researching, inquiring, asking the right questions,
And organizing.
Prayers went upward,
Praise too.
The heavenly throne was inundated with petitions,
And our Moni began to change,
Day by day,
Step by step,
Hour by hour,
Minute by minute,
Second by second,
Right before our eyes.
What do you do when it seems hopeless?
Do you rob a person of the hope of Glory?
Partner and I said, NO.
We knew who had the last word.
And He hadn’t spoken.
So, we kept walking in faith,
Doing the right thing,
As we waited for Him.
The impregnable truth,
Of the invincible love that washes away every pain,
Like waves beating against piles of rocks,
Changed the three of us as we walked toward the crossroad:
The intersectional path of her meeting point.
We acted,
Reacted differently as when we had first begun the journey.
We discovered love in its purest form,
Respect independent of color,
And yes, joy in the simplicity of the small things.
They mattered,
And the tiny steps were always a reason to celebrate.
We knew that we knew,
All things are in His hand.
And Moni walked between us and became our Little Sister,
Used by God to show us,
His grace,
His Mercy,
And to teach us how to love.
Moni,
The Bass player,
Playing as a member in her church band,
And in the orchestra, she belonged too.
Moni,
The hospitality Queen
Who opened her home to all.
Moni,
A true friend to her girlfriends, and her colleagues,
Moni,
A loving daughter to her parents,
Moni,
Who fearlessly traveled the globe,
Moni,
Who loved to attend the Meer Conference in January of every year,
Moni,
A loyal and faithful woman in the C3 Church family,
Moni,
The woman who loved freely,
Who made mistakes and wasn’t afraid to say I’m sorry.
Who made every chemo day a vacation day,
Where either Partner or I would sit afterward in Vaipiano’s and watch her eat like a bear.
Our Moni,
Ended her journey at six-thirty after the sun had risen,
Suddenly.
No one expected that to be the day.
The curtain opened,
And she walked over into eternity,
To participate and rejoice in the Welcome Home festivities,
Given in her honor,
As a child of the living God.
This was our Little Sister,
Monika Gutmann Fuhr.
8 February 1974 – 15 May 2017
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2, New King James Version.
I have been working pretty hard setting up my computer for 2017. I installed Scrivener on my iMac, and of course, that demands concentration and energy, and now I am learning how to use it. I have imported a multiple blogging template and a few other templates that I need to use in Scrivener.
I have also been participating as a judge in a writing contest and that in itself is hard work. Along with a couple of other things I would like to get involved in, and my writing. I am looking at an exciting 2017.
Therefore, it is important for me to take breaks even if it is only leaving my office, which is in my basement and going out the door to look up at the Heaven. It is something I do frequently when I am pressed for time.
This is a picture of the clouds over the street where I live. It looks as if the clouds are touching the houses. It is amazing what a glance upward can do to refresh and invigorate your Spirit.
While the United States wakes up and begin preparing to share Thanksgiving Dinner, some of us Ex-Pats all across Europe have eaten. Today is the special day set aside to give thanks to God for His goodness and His faithfulness.
Many thanks to Steve at Steve’s Bar and Grill in Hanau, Germany. He and his staff are a home away from home on this lovely Thanksgiving Day for many Americans. He is the best cook on this side of Europe.
It rains often here as we approach winter. Trees are stripping themselves of their leaves, and preparing for the winter months ahead. When I look up at the sky, I see dark clouds. A sacred entombment is on its way. Nature hides itself, and miraculously, I do too. I have learned to appreciate hiding myself as I slow down and re-energize for spring.
My girlfriend and I were on the way home, yesterday morning, after receiving mixed news we were trying to understand and make sense of in our minds. We were deep in our discussion, when she said look and pointed to the sky! It had not rained. In fact, the sun was shining, but across the sky, a rainbow appeared. For us, it was a seal from God. We both knew, at that moment, we were not forgotten. God was not confused. He was still in control. His promises were still valid. He does not deceive, no matter how the circumstances may look.
This picture, I took on my way to church. The Sky had been gray the entire week. That Sunday morning, the sky was again gray. It was the kind of weather that pulls at you to stay in bed. However, keeping to my schedule, I climbed out of bed, put on my jeans for church and left the house. In my car, I noticed the sky seemed to be changing. The dark gray was getting brighter.
By the time, I reached the reached the border of my village; the sky was blue; the clouds bright and fluffy. Astonished, I pulled over and took a picture. It was an affirmation for me of what it means to keep to your schedule and do what you say you are going to do.
Monday, the Germans celebrated the German Independence Day. For the first time in years, people were yelling, shouting, some screaming, Go back to where you came. We don’t want you here, to Chancellor Merkel. What does that remind you of?
Hungary rejected the resolution not to accept a refugee quota; their President has not changed and moved into a position of tolerance. What does that mean?
Two world powers cannot agree about Syria and how the endless slaughter of innocent children and adults should end. They do not trust each other. So, these two countries, the United States and Russia have suspended peace talks. What are they telling us?
The majority of the people (50.21 percent) rejected the peace contract with the FARC in Colombia. Has forgiveness lost it appeal? What happens next?
Refugees are on the run in cities where they have been resettled: barbwire fences are coming up; cultures are battling against each other, doing their best to keep the refugees out.
What am I saying?
Where there is no vision, no room for forgiveness, and no compassion, people perish.
I am always amazed at the sky when I travel. The cloud formations speak to me. They are an everlasting testimony of God’s faithfulness in my life. Sometimes, I stop and capture the picture of the heaven with my iPhone. It slows me down because I have to exit the autobahn and find a safe place to capture my picture. Yet, it is refreshing too because I have taken the time to enjoy the beauty of the creation.
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