SOLI DEO GLORIA: It was a dark and stormy night....

Well, it wasn't really dark or night...but it was stormy!  I was out and about doing many errands yesterday.  Thanks to Loverbrains being home...and taking some comp time...I was even doing these errands alone in the daytime.  Well, the only down side to all of this freedom, was the COLD, pouring rain!

At last, I came to the grocery store...with a big list.  The parking lot was nuts because people lose their minds in December.  All the close empty spaces were filled with the shopping carts people hadn't nicely taken two steps to return to the corral in the rain.  I nudged into a space...bumping one poor little cart gently forward. 

I gathered my stuff and stepped out of the car into a puddle...Nice!  Then I turned to see an older man looking at me from under his big black umbrella.  He smiled and said, "Are ya coming in?  Hurry!"  I thanked him as I hurried under the shelter of his umbrella.  He said something like "we might all float away" and I said, "Yes, I sure wish it would SNOW!"

As we entered the store to part ways he said, "Well, Happy Holidays!"  And I did something that is uncharacteristic...even for forward, big mouth me.  I said, "Oh, NO sir!  It's Merry CHRISTmas!!...Christ is the whole reason for the season!  Do you know the story of Jesus and why he came as a baby?"  He stood stunned for a moment...and a small smirk came across his face.  He patted my arm and said, "You're right, young lady!  Shame on me for being all PC and not saying so myself!  Merry Christmas, dear!"  We chatted briefly about how easy it is to get sucked into "the easy way"...of not offending.  I don't remember exactly what I said, but I did say that Jesus' light is something that I don't think I could ever hide!  I invited him to our church's Christmas program and proceeded with my shopping.  Then today some applicable thoughts came up at my favorite Bible Study!


If I believe that Christ is Superior (in truth, in everything)...Do I move forward in obedience?  Do I obey because I can't NOT obey...because it just breaks my heart when I disobey?  Obedience brings freedom.  Believers must resist the temptation to settle for superficial spirituality.  I want to go deeper and be more like my High Priest.

Now, sometimes being real isn't that painful.  Oftentimes, we can say, "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays" and still be happily received.  I'll warn you...this has gone very differently for me.  I had an Atheist about "take my head off" in Walmart not that long ago for the same sort of comment.  But I will continue to be obedient to the tugging of the Holy Spirit on my heart...even when the TRUTH is offensive.  I will not bend my integrity.

1 Pet. 2:11, says we are "strangers in this world"...but that's okay!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Go be strange!!