What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. – James 4:14

I remember the night before my 40th birthday, lying awake pondering the fact that I was getting older, and I couldn’t do a thing about it! It seems like yesterday, but now my daughter is 45!

This past year I celebrated my 70th birthday. My husband and I celebrated our 50th anniversary! The thought keeps recurring: How did THAT happen!?

As my 70th birthday was fast approaching, I was thinking of myself as “in the home stretch.” Then a man at our church told us his grandmother had passed at the age of 104! So, I keep having to remind myself to stop staring at the finish line and focus on what my Creator wants me to do with the days, years – or decades I have left. When this life is over, and I am beginning the next one – the forever one – I want to know I have served Him well with every day He’s given me.

Because of Him, I have no fear of death. (Although like Woody Allen, “I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”😉) In fact, as the inevitable draws nearer, the thought seems less frightening and more comforting; Jesus has gone to prepare a place for me. ❤️

If my thoughts on the fleetingness of time sound familiar to you but the comfort sounds foreign and you’d like to know more, read the Gospel of John in the Bible, chapter 3. (If you don’t have a Bible and would like one, email me at bascha3870@yahoo.com. I would be happy to send you one.)

I pray that 2024 is your best year ever, as you draw closer to your Creator than you have ever been.

Blessings,

Annie

Prayer: Lord, as this year draws to a close and another begins, carry out Your perfect plan for this imperfect child, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Peter 1: Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. – I Peter 1:10-12

The Sunday school class I attend is making our way through I Peter, the letter the apostle Peter wrote to encourage the scattered Church during a time of persecution. Each week we look at a few verses, and the above passage is what we were discussing last Sunday. Considering its implications, I was reminded of a perspective I gained from my husband Marty when he and I were in college.

Even back in the ’70’s, the price of textbooks seemed outrageous. One textbook could cost a student over a hundred dollars. (I can only imagine the price now.) Complaints about the cost of books were common among the students. How could a bundle of paper be that expensive? But Marty held a different viewpoint.

“It’s pretty amazing,” he commented one day when the topic came up. “A scientist, or whole team of scientists, can spend their entire lives researching something, and we can purchase what they learned for a couple hundred dollars.”

This is the perspective of a research chemist, and I immediately saw the wisdom of it. I hold that same opinion, now more than ever since becoming a writer.

It takes me years to write each of my books, which can now be bought for about $13 apiece (and less if they’re used). A bargain, no? But enough about me. Back to Peter:

Early on in his letter, the apostle reminded the believers how privileged they were to have the Gospel – the Good News. Hundreds of years before, the Old Testament prophets had written what the Spirit of Christ was telling them, often not understanding what He was saying but obediently recording the words anyway. They prayed, they searched the Scriptures, and they pondered what their prophesies could mean and when their predictions would take place, with no clear answers.

Meanwhile, the Jews had hundreds of laws and regulations to follow in their attempts to please their God. Sins they committed had to be paid for with animal sacrifices. Over the centuries, animals were sacrificed by the thousands, and yet sin persisted. Israel lived in a hazy darkness spiritually, and often if must have seemed God had forgotten His promises to them.

Then came Jesus, the promised Messiah. He taught the masses about the love of the Father and the kingdom of heaven, but His followers’ understanding was cloudy. Many stayed with Him only temporarily, attracted by miracles and free food. And as He warned His closest twelve that He would be executed and on the third day rise again, even those disciples didn’t grasp what He was saying until after He had been crucified, buried, and risen.

After His resurrection Jesus stayed with them, giving further clarification, instructions, and encouragement before His final ascension into heaven. His followers stayed in Jerusalem, as they had been told to do, until the Holy Spirit filled them. Empowered, they were ready to “go forth into all the world” and tell anyone who would listen, Jews and eventually Gentiles, as well, about Messiah’s coming. With the Spirit’s infilling, the Church sprang to life, with over three thousand baptized on the first day! What the prophets had longed to understand had finally been made clear: God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His own Son as the final sacrifice to pay the required penalty for all our sins, once and for all, so we could be forgiven and adopted as His sons and daughters.

The prophets had predicted a Suffering Servant. They had also predicted a Conquering King. They themselves hadn’t understood how Messiah could be both. We understand now that Jesus fulfilled the prophesy of the Suffering Servant, conquering sin with His sacrificial death and death with His resurrection. He has also promised to come back as a mighty Warrior, Judge, and King. He came once in meekness and is coming back in power.

What the prophets lived their whole lives longing to know, we have been told clearly.

Not only the prophets, but as Peter wrote, “Even the angels long to look into these things.” Apparently, angels are not all-knowing as God is. The angels that have stayed faithful to the Lord are His servants and do His bidding, but none of them necessarily know the whole Plan. There was a time long ago when Satan tried to usurp God’s position, was expelled from heaven, and took a third of heaven’s angels with him, but even they can’t do anything without God’s permission. (The first chapter of Job shows this played out.) Obviously, these “fallen angels” don’t have complete understanding, either, because all their plans will ultimately fail.

But we who live in the era after the first coming of Jesus have been given the priceless gift of the gospel, something neither the ancient prophets nor the angels in heaven could grasp. That makes us the most privileged people in history.

But there’s another privilege we have that the angels don’t, and that is the opportunity to receive God’s grace. Yes, we’ve all sinned, but because Jesus paid the price, if we confess our sins and place our faith in Him as our Atoning Sacrifice, we can be forgiven and live forever with Him. The angels that rebelled have a place prepared for them, and it is the lake of fire. They will never have an opportunity to repent (possibly because they wouldn’t anyway). But we do.

If you have not yet taken advantage of your privileged position, if you haven’t repented of your sins (turned from them and asked God’s forgiveness based on the sacrificial death of His Son), I urge you to do so today. The ancient prophets and other people of faith, and even angels, long to have what you have. Take hold of it today. Or rather, let Him take hold of you.

Prayer: Father, how can we thank You enough for the ultimate blessing of knowing You, being Your children, and having Your Spirit in us? Help us never to forget our privilege or neglect to share such good news with others. In the name of Your Son, Jesus, amen.

A time to weep… Ecclesiastes 3:4

As many of you know, I’ve been using a crutch lately, trying to minimize the weight placed on a bad hip. (Said hip will be kicked off the island and replaced shortly after Christmas.)

More than once, as I was making my way through the house, a line from “A Cup of Christmas Tea” by Tom Hegg would pop into my head:

“The triple-beat of two feet and a crutch came down the hall…”

I hadn’t read or even thought about that poem in decades. I remembered the first time I’d heard it, a young lady had read it aloud at a Christmas luncheon. She’d gotten choked up, and I think the rest of us had been teary-eyed, too. It was one of those simple but touching stories that tug at the heartstrings. I’d loved the poem so much I’d bought multiple copies of the book and given them as Christmas presents that year.

The following year we’d moved from Michigan to St. Louis, and the following Christmas I’d shared it with the women’s group at my new church. I’d cried (again), and about 200 women had cried with me. When my smaller group of women had met the next week, the ladies had talked me into reading it again. Again, there’d been tears all around. (I remember thinking, This is ridiculous!)

So, now I was remembering the sweet poem about the young person who reluctantly goes to visit an elderly crippled great-aunt. Forty years ago, I’d identified with the young person. But now, I … didn’t.

The women’s gift exchange at my Louisville church was coming up, and frankly, I hadn’t planned to go. With the physical issues, I hadn’t had time to buy a gift, and being sugar-free and gluten-free, I doubted they’d be serving anything I could eat. Struggling just to get around, I figured I’d probably be too tired to go, anyway.

Friday night our grandson came to spend the night with “Nana and Beepaw.” When I was searching for some Christmas stories he and I could read together, to my surprise, there was not one, but three copies of “A Cup of Christmas Tea”!

(Was Someone trying to tell me something??)

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to share the beloved poem with my sisters at church, and every time I made “the triple beat of two feet and a crutch” coming down the hall, I felt more convicted about it. A couple of days later at church I spoke with Brittney, one of the ladies in charge of the gift exchange. I had the book with me, in case she’d like me to run it by her after service.

When offering to share the poem, I fully expected to hear, “How long is it?” and after telling her, to see that look on her face. (That strained look people get when they don’t want to hurt my feelings but clearly don’t want to go along with whatever idea I have.)

But Brittney said simply, “Sure! I think that would be nice!” Surprised, I asked if she’d like to hear it, just to make sure it was OK, but she said not necessary, she trusted me. I was stunned, but I guess I shouldn’t have been, after all the little signs I’d been getting.

So, now what had I gotten myself into? I needed to practice! I asked Mary Lynn, my 81-year-old friend across the street, if I could read it to her. She said, “Sure!” I went over, and we sat down amid the gift wrapping.

Well, not much had changed. I got choked up at the very same place, and so did Mary Lynn. Now she loves the poem as much as I do.

That night I hobbled into the gift exchange, barely on time. I had some misgivings, as I really didn’t want to cry in front of all the ladies at this church now! But I knew obeying God was more important than preserving my dignity, and if the Lord wanted tears to be part of the presentation, I wasn’t going to be able to stop them anyway, so I figured I might as well not fret over it.

Brittney got the ladies’ attention, and they quieted down. She announced that I’d be sharing a poem, but then realized I’d need a stool to sit on. While she was getting the stool, the ladies went back to their talking. I could feel the awkwardness closing in.

But the moment I opened the book, to my surprise, I had their full attention. I gave it my all, drawing on my college theater experience. As usual, I got choked up at that same part again (Geez, Ann!), and when I looked up, the ladies were still paying attention, but this time I wasn’t seeing any tears. I wondered if this generation just had a different mindset from mine forty years ago.

Next, we played a game and the wrapped gifts changed hands, I was feeling more awkward by the minute, recalling that I had brought a copy of the book for my gift. I watched it go around, praying that whoever got it would be OK with it. At one point the lady holding it was told to open it, and she seemed delighted with it! But then the game continued, and the gifts continued getting passed around.

At the end of the evening, I spotted Brittney and our eyes met. Grinning, she held up the book and said, “I traded gifts, so I could have this one.” I was relieved that my treasure was going home with someone who would value it. But what she said next was for me the highlight of the evening.

“We talked it over, and we want to make this poem an annual tradition.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, whatever the stage, You are, always have been, and always will be my Director. Help me to follow Your directions, even the ones I don’t understand or necessarily feel like following. Let my obedience be Your birthday present. Amen.

P. S. The next day, Brittney texted me a picture of her mother reading “A Cup of Christmas Tea” to her little girls, telling me they love it. ❤

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” – Psalm 122:6-7

With the fast-approaching celebration of the birth of Yeshua, the Messiah, traditional carols have taken on a new meaning to many of us. The unimaginable horrors occurring in the region of the birthplace of Jesus are no doubt adding a sense of urgency to the desire for a Savior to come and deliver His people – to deliver all people – from the evils of this world.

Selah’s rendition of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” has woven into the melody the Israeli national anthem, “Hatikvah.” (Translation: “The Hope.”) It is heart-rending, and the accompanying scenes from “The Nativity Story” complete the picture of the world Jesus was born into, the world He came to save, so desperately in need of Him.

Take a few moments, watch, listen, meditate, and “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we ponder Your coming to save us, help us to know You better. Bring us closer to being the people You want us to be. In Your name we pray, amen.

Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. – James 5:13b

If you are a music minister or in any other way involved with the music at your church…

Last year, one of the surprising “firsts” for me was hearing the 700-or-so voices of my church singing song lyrics I had written! A few years before, our choir director had made a passing remark about how much he loved the Advent song, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” and that he wished there were more than two verses.

The songwriter in me declared, Challenge accepted! I went home and wrote two more verses.

Jesus’ “coming” has several meanings: His Incarnation (entering the world as one of us), His Resurrection (coming out of the grave), and the still “long expected” Second Coming.

The following verses are the ones I wrote. They are not copyrighted. I am OK with other churches singing them. In fact, I would be thrilled! So, please feel free to use them, or give them to your choir director or worship leader with my blessing.

Come, Thou whom the prophets promised,
Thou of whom the cantors sing.
Come, Immanuel, God, be with us,
Thou our Prophet, Priest and King.
Jesus, Thou art all perfection,
Thou, whose fellowship we crave;
Thou the Life and Resurrection,
Come redeem us from the grave.

Come, Thou King, receive Thy kingdom;
With the angels, split the skies!
Come with clouds and trumpet sounding,
Bid Thy slumb'ring children rise.
Gather in Thine arms so tender
Sinners saved through faith alone,
Through the gates of heav'nly splendor
Unto our eternal home.

One final note: Even though I am not asking for royalties from these verses, if your church uses them, I would love to know about it. I would appreciate any messages in the comments, letting me know in what part of the country (or world!) these lyrics are being sung. It would truly be one of the best Christmas presents I've ever received. ❤
 
Prayer: Lord Jesus, as we celebrate and anticipate Your coming to this world, fix our eyes on the wonder of the Incarnation. Fill us with a joy that overflows and can't wait to tell others the Good News that You love us enough to come and save us. In Your name we pray, amen.

Last week I made an announcement that was “time sensitive,” as Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

(2.) And as Christmas is coming shortly after …

We are finishing up the audiobook version of my book Vision, the second book in my trilogy, Awakening. This has taken longer than the first book, Counselor, because, as some of you know, we are adding music to the Christmas portion of the book, which takes place against the backdrop of a Christmas Eve performance of Handel’s Messiah, and the reading of the story without the music just didn’t sound right. Further complicating the project is the copyright law; the music is hundreds of years old, but most recordings of it are copyrighted and need permission and royalties paid if recorded less than 100 years ago. I obtained a recording from 1918 and borrowed an old record player. The antique could play a record at the necessary 78 RPMs but couldn’t connect to the sophisticated equipment that my recording engineer, Jeff, worked with. Jeff tried playing it with the mic at the speaker but was able to hear the motor in the background! He went ahead and recorded the track, and with its just playing in the background, I couldn’t hear the motor. So, for the time, we “settled.”

Audiobook Update (What’s Taken So Long)

I have since located another recording, and this time it’s not just Hallelujah, but also the four other songs that are part of the story. This record set is only about 65 years old; however, it has no copyright notice on the record, the box, or the literature that came with it, so we can legally use it! After all the hours Jeff had put into adding the old recording of Hallelujah to the mix, I was hesitant to ask him about including the other songs. But when we listened to the four songs on the like-new records, he got excited about adding them, too. He even suggested we redo Hallelujah – an idea I had thought of but wouldn’t have dared to say out loud.

So, the saga continues. We’re still hoping to get the audiobook released in time for Christmas listening. Although not all of the story takes place at Christmastime, the last few chapters, I hope, will get the listener into the spirit of Christmas – the miracle and glory of the Incarnation – as well as the peace of “letting God be God.” Handel’s heavenly music adds so much to the story – the vital, “divine perspective.” I’m grateful to be working with a believer, who shares my vision and (at least from what I see) doesn’t sigh and roll his eyes whenever I suggest one more thing to make it better that’s going to involve more work for him.

Meanwhile, if you would like to (re)read the Christmas Story portion of the book, for your quiet time or with loved ones, here are the links:

Mr. Walker’s Miracle (A Christmas Story)

Mr. Walker’s Miracle (A Christmas Story) Part 2

Mr. Walker’s Miracle (A Christmas Story) Part 3

Mr. Walker’s Miracle, a Christmas Story, Part 4

Mr. Walker’s Miracle, a Christmas Story, Part 5

Mr. Walker’s Miracle (A Christmas Story) Part 6

Mr. Walker’s Miracle (A Christmas Story) Final Chapter and Epilogue

AND FINALLY …

(3.) If you’re involved in music at your church …

Last year, one of the surprising “firsts” for me was hearing the 700-or-so voices of my church singing song lyrics I had written! A few years ago, our choir director had made a passing remark about how much he loved the Advent song, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus,” and wished there were more than two verses. The songwriter part of my mind declared, Challenge accepted! I went home and wrote two more verses.

Jesus’ “coming” has several meanings: His Incarnation (entering the world as one of us), His Resurrection (coming out of the grave), and the still “long expected” Second Coming.

The following verses are the ones I wrote. They are not copyrighted. I am OK with other churches singing them, in fact, I would be thrilled. So, please feel free to use them, or give them to your choir director or worship leader with my blessing. And please, let me know if you do and how it went. I would consider it a wonderful Christmas gift. ❤

Come, Thou whom the prophets promised,
Thou of whom the cantors sing.
Come, Immanuel, God, be with us,
Thou our Prophet, Priest and King.
Jesus, Thou art all perfection,
Thou, whose fellowship we crave;
Thou the Life and Resurrection,
Come redeem us from the grave.

Come, Thou King, receive Thy kingdom;
With the angels, split the skies!
Come with clouds and trumpet sounding,
Bid Thy slumb'ring children rise.
Gather in Thine arms so tender
Sinners saved through faith alone,
Through the gates of heav'nly splendor
Unto our eternal home.

Prayer: Lord, our calendars say there are busy times coming! No matter how full our schedules become, help us always to make You the center of our festivities – and our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

In all things give thanks… I Thessalonians 5:18

I attended the same private girls’ school from fourth grade until graduating from high school, and one of the nicest memories I have of my school days is having chapel first thing every morning. Sometimes we would have a speaker, a mini concert, or student talent show, but usually we would just file in and sit quietly while the organist played until all were present, then sing a hymn together and have a prayer. Before I ever developed the habit of having my private morning “devotions,” this was something to turn my mind toward God and (one would hope) get everything else in perspective for the rest of the day. (This was especially helpful during exam week!)

One hymn that we sang several times a year has been playing in my head this Thanksgiving season, and even after all these years, I remember every word of it. The lyrics were pretty non-controversial, lyrics that the Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish girls could all sing together. Even the non-religious ones didn’t seem to have any problem with it. It’s a simple song of thanks with a string of life’s gifts that “help us and delight us.”

Whether you’re especially thankful today or struggling with staying positive, here are the lyrics written so long ago to meditate on for a few moments. I hope they brighten your day.

We Thank You, Lord, for These

We thank You, Lord of heaven for all the joys that greet us,/For all that You have given to help us and delight us in earth and sky and seas./The sunlight on the meadows, the rainbow’s fleeting wonder,/The clouds with cooling shadows, the stars that shine in splendor, we thank You, Lord, for these.

For swift and gallant horses, for lambs in pastures springing,/ For dogs with friendly faces, for birds with music thronging, their chantries in the trees./For herbs to cool our fever, for flowers of field and garden,/ For bees among the clover with stolen sweetness laden, we thank You, Lord for these.

For homely dwelling places where childhood visions linger,/For friends and kindly voices, for bread to stay our hunger, and sleep to bring us ease. /For zeal and zest of living, for faith and understanding,/ For words to tell our loving, for hope of peace unending, We thank You, Lord, for these. – Jan Strother

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. – Matthew 10:29, 31

I didn’t know much about Dora. Her room had no flowers, no cards, and no visitors that I ever saw. It didn’t surprise me that she seemed perpetually sad. Sometimes when I passed her room, I could hear a high-pitched, child-like cry, almost like that of a baby. It seemed whenever I was making my rounds, singing to the other patients, by the time I got to her room, she had cried herself to sleep. So, I would quietly move on, thinking, Maybe next time…

One day she was sitting in her chair as someone from housekeeping was making up her bed. Seeing how hurriedly the employee was working, I decided to wait outside until the patient was back in bed, then come in and see if I could sing her a song.

“Did God answer my question?” I heard the woman ask the housekeeper anxiously.

No answer.

The patient repeated the question.

Avoiding eye contact, the housekeeper answered, “Um … yes, He did,” and hurried out of the room, successfully dodging the obvious follow-up question. The patient looked profoundly disappointed.

“May I come in?” I asked quietly. She didn’t respond, but stared ahead with sad eyes, and I was afraid she was going to start crying again. Cautiously, I tiptoed into the room.

Seeing the name posted over her bed, I asked, “Dora, may I sing you a song?” She nodded absently. I sat, took my guitar, and started playing.

After all these years I don’t remember what I sang to her, possibly “Amazing Grace.” That was a staple then. But after one or two songs, I saw the tears in her eyes, and something told me she needed more.

Impulsively taking her hand, I gave it a little squeeze and blurted, “Dora, God loves you very much.”

She turned her head and stared at me, wide-eyed. “Who told you that?!” she gasped.

I thought for a moment. “He did,” I guessed.

Dora’s countenance was instantly changed, registering relief and a profound peace. A weight seemed to be lifted, and she lay back, closed her eyes, and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Ann,” I said.

Her eyes still closed, she smiled sleepily. In a voice that was barely audible, she murmured, “I love you, Ann.”

Neither of us said any more. Dora seemed to have fallen into a deep, restful sleep. I picked up my guitar and quietly slipped out.

The next time I came to the hospital, I went straight to Dora’s room to say “hello” and tell her I’d be back soon to sing to her again. But her room was empty. I asked a nurse if she had been moved and was told that Dora had passed away.

Of course, I knew where she had gone – to the One who loved her. I silently thanked Him for giving me the immense privilege of being the one to tell her.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You came to earth to sacrifice Yourself to pay for our sins, to show us how much You love us. We are grateful beyond words, but we know there are many lost and desperate people who don’t know that You love them. And, if we don’t tell them, who will? Help us not to be negligent, selfishly keeping the Good News to ourselves. You have already promised to give us the words when the time is right; give us the boldness to speak them, in Jesus’ name. Amen.