Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Snowflakes and Jesus.

This weekend I had a romantic getaway with my very best friend.  It was cut short by the snow and slush that covered Nashville and surrounding areas on Sunday.  So, with the theme of the year, our little moment of rest, of happiness, of peace was replaced with the stress and chaos of trying to get home to our sweet girls.  Back to reality, which is not so bad here at the Hall house. 

Last night I sat reading while my girls slept and my sweet husband worked.  I thought about the weekend, my parents who came to help, the place that we stayed, the magic of the little cabin and the beauty of the landscape.  I thought about the huge fireplace that we enjoyed from the minute that we walked in, the fresh bread they brought for us and left at our door at 7 am, the puzzle that occupied our minds so wonderfully rather than the usual crap that we are both worried with.  I closed my eyes and remembered all of the moments that Doc and I enjoyed together.  The moment when we both tasted the best pasta that we had ever eaten, the moment that we pulled into Evergreen Farm, the moment when I sat and watch him build a big beautiful fire, the moment when I got my chair in just the right spot and leaned back and sighed a sigh of relief, of gratitude, of gratefulness for that moment. 

I realize that is all life is, one huge collection of moments.  Moments that tell our story.  Moments of joy, of happiness, sadness, glee, anger, stress.  Moments of life and death and marriage and divorce.  All of these things happen in moments.  They are like the snowflakes falling, all the same but different.   When you look at them together it's just cold, wet, beautiful, messy snow.  But separately they each have their own shape, their own meaning, their own place in our memory. 

God gave us life and free will to live it as we choose,  to make our own decisions and our own path.  Everyday, every decision, every moment is different just like the snowflakes but all of them are collecting as we age and at the end of our days they too will look like a big pile of snow.  Sloshy and sloppy and beautiful snow and waiting to be sifted through when we need  a laugh or a smile or want to share our past with a new friend.

One day we will stand before Him each of us praying, pleading, hoping that he digs about halfway down to one of our best moments rather than looking at the collection as a whole.  And He will. You see He is looking for one moment.  One snowflake.  He does not care about the time when you were 6 and you stole candy from the store when your mom wasn't looking.  He does not care what you did or did not do in high school.  Your college years mean nothing to Him. The marriage that failed, the lie you told, the father that you weren't, the mother that you should have been, the son that you weren't, the friend that you betrayed, the wife that you abandoned, the kids that you failed,  the business that you cheated, these moments, He digs right past.  He is God of grace and of mercy.  He cares not what you have or have not done in your life.  You collection of snowflakes was yours to make and he does not judge you on the collection as a whole.  He is looking for one moment, one prayer, one beautiful, individual snowflake.  And if He finds it, you're in.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.

On December 25th we will get up, Santa will have come, we will open presents and celebrate family and friends.  We will eat and drink and be merry and that is how it should be.  However, let us not forget that if not for one moment over 2000 years ago, one birth, one beautiful night, one gift that our Lord gave us, He would sift through our sloppy wet snow and we would be turned away.  Without the birth and death and resurrection of His son, we would not have that moment He is looking for.  That one, single, beautiful moment where we gave our hearts, our lives, our everything to our Lord and put all of our faith in Him is the only one He cares about.  Amazing.  God gave His son so that I could spend eternity with mine.  This Christmas the meaning of that is so clear, so wonderful, so perfect to me. 

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.

I pray friends that you have a Merry Christmas.  I pray that Santa is good to you, that you travel safely, that you enjoy your families and eat well.  But more than that I pray that if the big, wet, beautiful pile of snow that is your life does not include the one snowflake He is looking for that you will take a moment, just one, and put your faith in Him. Add that moment to the wonderful collection that is your life and enjoy as He blesses you everyday, loves you like you have never been loved and welcomes you into His kingdom when your time comes. 

Love, blessings, and a Merry Christmas to you all!
Melanie





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