New Arrivals

It is Christmas time! Things are hustling and bustling, packages are arriving and who knows who may show up at the doorstep with a Christmas greeting, or two!

Well, we have a few new arrivals in the labyrinth, too! Let’s start with this little guy. We didn’t plant this…we’re assuming a bird ‘deposited’ it, if ya know what I mean. This palm will work beautifully here! It is in the middle of the path, but we will do a little wiggling of that and no problemo! 

 And this….I’ll wait right here while you soak this in a minute. Isn’t it loverly?!?! It is a gift for the labyrinth, from a dear friend who has been praying along with me since this all began. What a gift God has given her to share and I am sooooo blessed to get to see this ev-er-y-day. AND you will be blessed when you see this in person, too.

All over the cross there are scripture references and do-dads to serve as prayer prompts and other reminders of God’s gift to us of prayer.   

As I stood looking at this the other day I was reminded (again, thankfully!) of the need for our pause button. I was so caught up in the details and wanting to soak it all in, I totally lost track of time!

We all talk about how crazy-busy we are, but I think I hit on something…maybe it is just me, so don’t panic! If my pause button is on my list-of-things-to-do, then is there really a pause? It can so easily become another to-do. I certainly don’t mean to put down the Christmas season. It can be a joyous time, a time of celebration and…dare I say, a time for pause. God’s desire for us to sit with Him and pause is where our new growth comes. It is in the pauses we can ponder, allow our souls a little time to stretch and grasp at more fully formed Truths. We are refreshed and equipped and well, His work in us is endless!

And they went rejoicing. Because God helped the Levites, strengthening them as they carried the Chest of the Covenant of God, they paused to worship…

 (The Message Version)

I Chronicles 15:26

So many stories in scripture and in our lives are like this one. God leading, God strengthening, God moving mountains…it is what He does after all. 

The strength in any situation is His.

The graceful giving or kindness towards another, all come from His prompting.

The joy in a child's smile, the tenderness of a grandmother's kiss are the reflection of His joy within.

 …every good and perfect gift really does come from above.

My prayer for all of us this Christmas is that as we receive His blessings, we too would pause to worship the Giver of New Growth, our sweet Jesus. That in the pauses we may look beyond the gifts of this season to see the greatest Gift of all, our Giver. He comes to every heart’s door with the gift of His presence…to walk with us in every moment. He is the best gift we’ve ever been given and the most wonderful gift we have to give.

May the Joy, Peace and Love of Christ be yours this season and always!!!