Deuteronomy 1:31 – “…and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son (or daughter) all the way you went until you reached this place.”

Yes, 2016 was a desert experience for me, one of my most challenging years in quite a long time. But I see how the Lord carried me through this desert, some of it caused by my own selfish attitudes. And like the Good Shepherd He is, He led me to peaceful waters…green pastures where I could lie down and rest…a table where I could feed on His word…until I became strong again.

Now, through the obedience I’ve learned (and re-learned in some things) my soul is restored…it is well. After years of pruning and resting and waiting in Him…waiting on Him, He’s finally saying that the time for bearing fruit has come.

The theme He’s laid on my heart and mind, my direction for the new year 2017 is bearing fruit to God, based on Romans 7:4

“So, my brothers (and sisters), you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.”

 I’m being cautious, however. My friend Leslie wrote about fruit on Christmas trees being shiny, shallow ornaments meant to impress. But fruit on the trees and branches of our lives is meant to bring life to others, and glory, honor and praise to Jesus, like the fruit described in John 4:27-39, Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 5:9. That is fruit that will last.

Apart from Him I can do nothing.

With Him…well…2017 is a clean slate on which He will write His story for my life. And I know it will be well with my soul.

“Through it all, through it all my eyes are on You. Through it all, through it all it is well…

So let go, my soul, and trust in Him. The waves and wind still know His name…

and it is well with me.”*

 *From “It Is Well” by Kristene DiMarco

Creek in Shingletown, CA

Earlier this week we returned from a work project in a little town in the forest outside Redding, CA, called Shingletown. Dear friends have purchased a property there that they want to develop into a retreat center. They began moving in Friday night, with the help of many friends – 18 of us in all, including seven kids, four of which were ages five and under.

The project entailed removing carpet, wallpaper and dated window coverings; and laying vinyl flooring, texturing and sanding walls, followed by painting it all…in two days. And we were eager to help.

As we neared the end of our 10 hour drive to get there, we passed swiftly running creeks, evergreens that grew like weeds and lava rocks strewn everywhere. It had snowed earlier in the week and patches of it still filled the roadsides, although it was turning brown from dirt splashed by cars rushing past.

We were first to arrive and opened our car door to a brisk 37 degrees. Wind blew through the canopy of trees overhead, sounding like musical rushing water. Wind…Breath of Heaven…Holy Spirit.

As we waited for David to arrive in his U-Haul we got back into the car. A gentle rain began falling and softly blowing winds sent big drops of “tree rain” onto our roof and windshield: such a beautiful, peaceful place.

Soon, all arrived – David and five-year-old Ellie, the Hoad family and Amy and Kevin and their kids – but no sign of Jenn, with little Kate and her folks. Car trouble had slowed them down and they still had to pick up all of the food for the weekend from Costco.

Rather than waste time waiting around, demo began. Movers arrived to unload the U-Haul and then…Ty knocked out a tooth, when a shelf hit him in the mouth! Things were getting off to a rocky start! Like the lava rocks that haphazardly filled the landscape, we were beginning to have random, haphazard and plan-altering experiences! When Jenn finally arrived, we ate and found sustenance for our weary bodies, heading for bed soon thereafter.

We were all staying at the house that we were working on…18 people using two bathrooms. After the carpet was removed, along with the accompanying nails and tack strips, it began to really sink in that there would be little comfort (or cleanliness) even in the areas in which we’d be sleeping. After wallpaper had come down and Keith had textured all the downstairs walls, we had to wait for them to dry before we could sand them and begin painting. (Try mudding and texturing a bathroom with 18 people – seven of them kids – trying to use it! More lava rocks!)

Midday Saturday, more workers arrived to help: students from the college at which Jenn would be teaching; more friends that could only stay for the day. Things got messier and a bit chaotic, as we had to move our mats and bedding out of the way so work could be done in each room, so Keith and I decided to spend a night in a hotel – the closest being 45 minutes away. It wasn’t all that much better but it gave us time to reflect on God’s beautiful creation and get away from the mess for a bit. We returned Sunday morning and finished work on the whole main level and then got a good start on the upstairs.

When it was time to head home early Monday morning, we felt good about all we’d been able to accomplish – lava rocks and all. On our 11-hour trek I had lots of time to ponder and pray about the weekend, and you know what I realized? Christmas is an odd time to be doing such a project. But this was the time that was right – just like when Jesus was born, at just the right time.

We had travelled far from our home to do this work project – much like Mary and Joseph had travelled far from home to fulfill an obligation to the Roman government.

The conditions we were staying in were messy, dirty and chaotic. And where did Jesus end up being born? In a messy, dirty stable, which probably felt chaotic to Mary and Joseph. Talk about a rocky start!! But that’s exactly how God planned it!

I’d thought about how it would have been so much more convenient to stay home and keep working on all of my Christmas cards and gifts, but I wanted even more to bless our dear friends and see what this new place they were moving to was really like, live and in person. And this small sacrifice was a gift we gladly gave to bring joy to our friends’ hearts!

You know what? It would have been more convenient for Jesus to stay in heaven and not be born as a human, but He wanted to bless those He loved – US, whom He calls His dear friends – and to see what it was really like here, live and in person. But He also wanted to show us He loved us enough to sacrifice His life for us and give us the greatest gift ever – eternal life. What joy we now have because of Him!!

This WAS an odd time of year for a work project, but it gave me a sweet taste of that first Christmas 2000 + years ago. I wouldn’t trade that for anything! But now I better get back to work. After all, Christmas is still coming!!

Jesus, thank You for Your incredible sacrifice for us! Thank You for coming to live as a human but without sin, beginning Your time here as a baby, born in the humblest of conditions – in a messy, dirty stable, with a manger for a bed. Please let these lessons keep my perspective focused on You during this season as we celebrate Your birth. Amen.