As
Only Your Mama Can…
Precious daughter, we are
coming to an end of our “through the Alphabet” blogging….now into the letter “X”
which I am finding to be one of the most difficult letters to date…..but, then,
is it? As I was awakened early this am
with the urge to get going with your weekly blog, it became clear how to use “X”
in my writing to you this week…..and, I think you will like….
X is for X-mas, X-ray and a working Cross……
X is for X-mas. When you were born, I rarely saw Christmas
spelled out as X-mas. Truly. I don’t know if I wasn’t paying attention or
if the abbreviated use of Christmas was just not a popular term, but I don’t
remember seeing it and when I did, it was typically written by someone in a
hurry to get their writing done.
Sadly, that same cannot be
said in today’s holiday environment…..Not only do you have to work to find the
word Christmas spelled out in full form, but when you do find the word, it is
usually associated with a religious experience such as in a church and no
longer a part of our daily living.
Sweetheart…..notice these
types of things….
I truly believe the simple
removing of Christ from our Christmas and replacing Him with an X is indicative
of a world moving toward un-Christ like living and into secular, worldly
living.
In our home…..Christmas is
about remembering the birth of Christ…..Jesus……Savior.
If we lose sight of that
fact, we lose everything. If we give way
to replacing the precious name of our Holy Christ with an X, I am not certain
our life can truly have any real and meaningful purpose.
I don’t want only us to place His name around our
home in bold letters and bake Him birthday celebration cakes. Let’s not just put out our manger music boxes
and hand-made nativity scenes…..all of those are good to remind our eyes of a
heavenly savior….
Let’s do more…..let’s seek a
presence, a quiet time, a celebration and yes, a season of worship….not just on
December 25th, but every day…..every day…….every day…..
X is for X-ray
An X-ray is a photograph of
the inside of an individual in order to assist in the examination of that
person (actually, it is more complicated than that, but for our purposes, this
definition works).
We don’t hear the term x-ray
used as often as we used to for it has been replace with CT scan and MRI and
other bigger, bolder procedures……
Basically, an X-ray is an
examination of whatever is being x-rayed…….a taking of a closer look in an
effort to see what activity is taking place within…..
Something we need to
personally do daily….often….as it is by taking such a self-examination that we
are able to see how we are faring in this thing called life……
We are often encouraged to
take the time to examine, to delve deeper, to seek the truth of our lives, our
hearts, our souls…..
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith;
test yourselves. Do you not realize that
Christ Jesus is in you – Unless, of course, you fail the test.” And Psalm 26:2 “Test me Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind for I have always been mindful of your unfailing
love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:40 “Let
us examine our ways and test them and let us return to the Lord.”
And, there is a reason we are
encouraged to examine ourselves…to x-ray our lives….because it is in the
so-doing that we come to find the truth
of our lives….
And, only in truth can we
have the life God intended for us to have…..Holy and pure and passionate and
praise-worthy. Only when we get to the
nitty-gritty and the “bare-bones” and the “give me the facts, only the facts”
about ourselves are we able to find out who and whose we really are…..
And, baby…..as God as my Holy
witness…..that is all which really matters in this life….
That upon self-X-ray, self-examination,
self-observation, you know whose you are…for whom you live….
And, all the in-between of your
life should be an example to the world of this living…..so that whenever others
x-ray the inside of you where God resides….where Christ is evident….where your
spirit exudes…..
they see the love of Him
Within the presence of you.
“X” is for well……….. “X”
You know….as I came
downstairs to make my tea prior to writing this blog to you, it occurred to me
that the “X” for which I was soon to attempt to write about is really a simple
thing when viewed by itself….
It is a reminder of what
weight on a cross will do…..we all have our crosses to bear in this life…..it
is not just a simple fact, it is a promise.
“whoever wants to be my disciples must deny themselves
and take up the cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses
their life for Me will save it. What
good is it for someone to gain the whole world but forfeit their very self.” Luke 9:23-24
Not only are we promised that
we will be called to take up the cross daily…..but in the so-doing we must
follow Him…and, Honey…we all know where that led here on earth…..to His death…
But, do not be afraid….carry
your cross and count it as a blessing as you are being prepared….in the most
holy way possible to be ready….so that, when upon examination, you are found to
be…
His…
And, there is peace in
knowing that you walk not alone…but, with Him…who has taken this path before
you and lights the way so that your path is made clear…..
And, Sissy……He has the power
to protect, to provide, to keep promises made to you and to every other person
who makes the decision to take up their cross and follow Him….
We know this to be truth for
so many reasons…but, one of my favorites is this fact….
HIS is the only cross which
does not give way to its weight….His is the only one which remains straight…and
tall…and unbending.
His cross stands upright and
points our way……
ILYAOYMC,
Blessings,
Mama
