Oh nuts!

There is only one Christmas carol that I know of that is called The Christmas Song. You know it, right? Chestnuts roasting on a open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose.... Well, when this song came to mind after we returned home from the holidays, I didn't picture chestnuts...more like joining Shadrach, Meshach, and Abeddego in the firey furnance of festivities. And come to think of it there were several "furance" issues as well this holiday...I melted aluminum foil in the bottom of a brand new covection double-oven that is only 3 weeks old (a technician is coming...another blog for another day...only I could melt aluminum foil-how?!). If that were not enough, while visiting family my husband drove an hour back home to our house on Christmas Day to make sure that I had turned the stove eye off from our breakfast biscuts. I know! But nothing could prepare me for the heat I felt during the holidays.

As I foucsed on inequalities, I was slowly consumed. Why is this person not joining us? How come this person is doing that? Why isn't that person doing this? Why didn't they tell me...? How come they get to...? Why do I have to...? And the questions went on and on. And to think, I was disappointed that I wan't more in the Christmas spirit. What a mess! Then upon our arrival home, I hear Chestnuts roasting on an open fire and I had just about had enough. My holiday scenes were not chestnuts, not Hallmark or even Norman Rockwell! I don't remember if I audibly heard the song or it just came to me, but I remember thinking not an open fire, more like a firey furnance, right Lord? Not exactly. God illuminated that there was more green than red coloring my sight this Christmas.

Slowly, I am learning that the green film of envy and jealousy is not a flattering color for me. But it is a color that needs to be purified in my own heart. A green book that my son Jeremiah received fom Christmas, The Squire and the Scroll, ends with this verse, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word" Ps. 119:9. It is kinda embarassing that I am 36 and still trying to get that right and can't even adhere to the basic Ten Commandments! What number is "Thou shall not covet" anyway? Again, what seems to be a very slow process, most purifications are, I am learning that coveting isn't only wanting what someone else has, but wanting what I want. Covetedness is really selfishness. How awesome is God's Word that Exodus 20:17 (the last commandment, by the way) and Galatians 2:20 "not I, but Christ" can mean the same thing.

And what about the furnance? Well, God is merciful and gracious. Whether we have been thrown in the furnace by the enemy or stormed in because of our own self-righteousness, remember...we are not alone. We are always +1! But, we can't stop short with just recongizing that He is with us. We are called to trust Him for He makes all things new. I trust that much like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I was bound, but from my time in His Presence, even in a furnance, I will walk out of 2009 not burnt, not bound, but free.

Happy New Year!