Uncategorized | Real Life on Rocky Top

The Eighth Day of Christmas

Dec 22 2019

The Gift of Hope

This is an updated blog that I posted in 2017. Be sure to read the new ending. God surely is our HOPE!

The decorating of the Christmas tree up on Rocky Top has always been a festive time….Christmas carols playing in the background, the smell of a freshly cut tree in the air, a crackling fire glowing in the fire place, crab bites (a family favorite) and sparkling Welch’s.

Not so much this year. As I sat on the floor going through ornaments, I begin to quietly cry. Over half of our ornaments were given to us by people we had pastored in the past. Satan whispered in my ear, “No more ornaments for you. That part of your life is done. You don’t even have one from your own mother. And she’s dead now. ”

Preacher didn’t know what was going on in my heart as we began to decorate the tree. I had chosen not to make any crab bites and the Christmas music playing in the background almost seemed annoying.

After it was decorated, we stood back to admire the work and I think I just let out a sigh. Normally we sing a Christmas carol together as Preacher turns on the lights. Not this year.

A few days later as we were traveling for our new ministry, I received a text from a friend who had agreed to come take care of our home and water our Christmas tree while we were traveling. The text read, “Here is how I found your tree.” It was followed by a picture of the tree turned over, stand and all, water everywhere with pieces of broken ornaments scattered throughout the room.

My heart sunk. I did not cry. Sadness just enveloped me. Two dear friends cleaned it all up and even tied the tree to the back door to keep it standing up.

Upon returning home, Preacher and I once again decorated the tree. Determining to change my perspective and heart, crab bites were made along with cookies. Maybe food would soothe my wounded, grieving heart.

The tree stood proud for one week.

After a long day of ministry and Christmas shopping, I walked into the house to once again find the eight foot Christmas tree lying on the floor with more broken ornaments and a water soaked tree skirt.

This Rocky Top girl would like to tell you she worshipped, kept perspective by remembering so many people who are going through much worse things than a fallen tree but I did not.

I sat in the middle of the mess and began to just sob and yell at God.

When Preacher got home, he helped me clean it up. He offered to attempt to stand it up again.

“No! Get it out of my home. Tomorrow I will buy a fake tree.” I yelled.

Preacher carried it out and threw it over the cliff on the back of Rocky Top.

The next morning when I sat with Jesus so many emotions swirled in my heart and head…..from anger to shame to failure.

As I opened His word He spoke with gentleness:

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.” Matthew 12:18-21

Through His word, Jesus reminded me of why He came. He came to sit with me in all my mess.

Christmas is grace in our failure.

Christmas is forgiveness to those who wound and betray us.

Christmas is strength when we are weak.

Christmas is justice and not judgement.

Christmas is peace in chaos.

Christmas is joy in our deepest sadness.

Christmas is comfort in our grief.

Christmas is knowing He will lead when we are wandering.

Christmas is your mentor, your Timothy, and your children giving you ornaments of truth to hang around your neck instead of glass ones that will eventually break. (Proverbs 1:9)

Christmas is HOPE in what we believe to be hopelessness.

We want Christmas to be filled with laughter, fun, gifts and happiness.

Sometimes Christmas is just remembering that in all the hurt, in all the pain, in all the change, in all the disappointments in life, whether they are big or small, Jesus came to give us Himself: HOPE!

UPDATE

About one week after I posted this blog in 2017, I received a box in the mail from one of our Life Action missionaries. It was filled with handmade ornaments. Each one had a gift that Jesus brought us when He gave us Himself written on it: Grace, Forgiveness, Strength, Love, Justice, Peace, Joy, Comfort, Knowing, and HOPE.

The day I received that box of ornaments, Hope was delivered. This dear friend reminded me that we are to be the Hope-givers to those around us.

My prayer this Christmas is that I will bring HOPE to someone else. Is there anyone you need to bring Hope to this Christmas?

Day Seven of Christmas

Dec 21 2019

The Gift of Kindness

I finally made it out of the house to do a little Christmas shopping. Let me just say, it is crazy out there right now: traffic in town is hideous, checkout lines are long, inventory has been picked over, and clerks are frazzled. And worst of all, I saw many shoppers just being rude.

One of the shops I often frequent is a children’s clothing outlet where I find great bargains when shopping for my grandchildren. It has been weeks since I have been able to shop, so I went with great anticipation, ready to find some adorable outfits for my grandchildren.

After carefully choosing two outfits for each grandchild, I laid them on the counter for the clerk to ring it up. She politely asked me if I had any coupons and I sighed when I realized I had left them at home. After overhearing this exchange, a lady tapped me on the shoulder and offered: “I have a coupon. Would you like to use it?” I was floored. This lady was a total stranger and she was offering me her 25% off coupon. What an unexpected kindness in my frantic day!

I began to contemplate “kindness”. Ephesians 2:7 says God’s kindness was expressed to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. The very gift that lay in the manger on Christmas was an expression of God’s kindness towards us. According to Galatians 5:22 it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, meaning when I am walking in the power of the Spirit, kindness will flow from me.

After arriving home from shopping, I began to talk to the Lord about “kindness” in my own life. Do I display this fruit of the Spirit? BE KIND has become a slogan of sorts in today’s culture. But for those who call themselves followers of Jesus, kindness should be on display in our lives every day.

These thoughts led me to The Word and I began to research the meaning of kindness. I was more than surprised to see a synonym for kindness is benignity. That got my attention because I am currently recovering from a surgery which removed a baseball sized tumor attached to my ovary. In the operating room, the surgeon said the tumor appeared to be malignant, meaning dangerous, invasive, and cancerous. Yet, when the pathologist studied it under the microscope, the diagnosis was a borderline tumor, some call it low malignancy. The tumor was neither clearly malignant nor clearly benign. The only required treatment was to simply remove the tumor.

God says, “I am the Lord, who exercises kindness…” (Jeremiah 9:24)

There is no borderline with God. His character is kindness. His gift to us this Christmas is not just His kindness toward us, but our own ability to walk in kindness toward others.

I may have had a “borderline tumor” but I do not want to be known as a borderline follower of Christ.

Romans 2:4 also reminded me that it is God’s kindness that draws me to repentance. It’s not his condemnation, not his cruelty, nor His pointing of the finger.

The Lord in His kindness clearly said to me, “Donna, I want to cut out anything in your life that does not allow you to live out kindness toward others. There is no borderline. You are either kind toward others or you are not.”

Do you see evidence of any “borderline” in your own life? This season I hope that you will pray along with me: Lord, fill me with your Spirit as I choose to live out your kindness every day. May the kindness that flows through me draw others to You!

The Third Day of Christmas

Dec 17 2019

His gift: The Word

“And the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14

When Jesus was born in the manger, the Word came to live with us. The Word came into the world to sleep in a cold, dirty manger, entering a dark world to mend broken lives. The Word came as a gift to fulfill every promise of a Holy Father, revealing His full message to a lost world.

Up until this point the Jewish people had only known the Word as written laws upon tablets, on scrolls. They could not comprehend that The Word was now living, breathing, and dwelling among them.

The Word comes to you this Christmas season ALIVE! He comes to us in our busyness, our pain, our hurt, our sorrow, and our imperfections.

The Word wants to be a part of our lives.

For years I lived as though God’s word was not living and active. I viewed my time in God’s word as a duty to be fulfilled, an item to simply check off my to-do list, a practice to be maintained as a good Christian, and especially a good pastor’s wife.

An older pastor’s wife, Esther Walker, now in her 80’s, challenged me to go to The Word daily and cry out to God to speak to me. She taught me that when God’s word spoke to me that I was encountering God Himself. She encouraged me to put my name in Bible verses to make it more personable.

As I begin to read God’s word in this manner, my life was truly transformed and soon I found myself longing for these encounters with Jesus.

When I was younger I struggled with an addiction to anger in my life, The Word revealed to me “man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:20) God showed me that all the yelling and screaming in the world would not make my kids or my husband do the right thing. Through His Word, God healed me of my anger addiction.

Two weeks ago as I lay on a hospital bed in fear, I begin to recite The Word, “Donna, rejoice! Again, I say rejoice. Let your gentleness be made known to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, Donna, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:4-7) My anxious heart became peaceful as I fell asleep under the anesthesia.

The Word is a gift that must be opened. It’s under the tree this Christmas for all of us. We can leave it under there and admire the beautiful wrapping, or we can open this special gift and allow The Word to transform our lives.

My prayer for you this Christmas is you will open this gift. When you do, Jesus –The Word made flesh, will come alive to you!

The Second Day of Christmas

Dec 15 2019

The Gift of Light

I do not like being in the dark. Ever.

Not in the middle of the night when I wake up unexpectedly–that’s what night lights are for.

Not outside in the darkness–that’s what flashlights are for.

Not when the power goes out–that’s what candles are for.

Not when my life is unclear and I can’t make sense out of anything.

That’s why Jesus came down to us.

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

There are dark places in my life right now, situations in which I do not know the outcome or how God will work in and through that season. In those places I am clinging to the Light because Jesus promises if I follow Him, His Light will shine into those dark valleys.

The Greek word “follow” consists of several different smaller Greek words: together, a way, to move quickly and straight.

When places in my life are dark, I must make the decision to go with Christ, His way, not mine. I must practice first time obedience. When His light shines on an area of my life that needs changing, I must respond promptly. Before He even points me in a direction, I must already decide that I will say Yes and obey Him.

Are you experiencing darkness this Christmas?

Draw close to The Light of the World. Find a quiet place to read His word. Ask Him to shine His light onto your heart and through your life.

Be ready to respond quickly.

Remember, you are never alone in the dark. The enemy may whisper to you, “no one understands or nothing will ever change.” Respond with truth. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5

Every year to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season Preacher and I have a tree lighting ceremony. We began the tradition when the kids were really little, but have carried it on even as empty nesters. Preacher strings the lights on the tree, we hang all the ornaments, and then we turn off all the lights in the entire house. It is very dark. However, I don’t mind the darkness.

Preacher is with me and I know what is about to happen.

The Christmas tree lights shine as Preacher flips the switch and we stand in awe of the beauty they bring to the once darkened room.

There would be no appreciation of the lights if there was no darkness.

Friend, whatever darkness seems to be flooding your life this season, choose this day to follow Jesus–the Light who overcomes the darkness.

Stand in Awe of His gift: The Light of the World!

The First Day of Christmas

Dec 14 2019

It’s 12 days before Christmas and although the traditional Christmas song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, really begins on December 25^th and ends on the eve of January 5^th, I awoke this morning determined to use my time of rest and recovery in a productive way.

I had surgery a little over a week ago. All the reports have returned good and for that I am so very grateful. But, honestly, I haven’t ever been good at resting. Like many, I’ve been brainwashed by American culture that successful people are busy and rest has no purpose.

So now that all the aesthesia and pain reducing medications have exited my body, I want to humbly share with you twelve truths the Lord has been teaching me as a gift for you over the next twelve days. My prayer is that during this busy season you take a few minutes each day to rest and enjoy His gifts.

Love is the first gift!

In the last few months I have literally heard Jesus shout to me through His word, music and the voices of others. “I love you, Donna Avant.”

The song Good Grace by Joel Houston says “So don’t let your heart be troubled; Hold your head up high; Don’t fear no evil; Fix your eyes on this one truth; God is madly in love with you.”

Casting Crown’s Somewhere in Your Silent Night declares “When your pain runs deep, His love runs deeper still; He has always loved you, child and He always will.”

I tend to think that when life becomes difficult, when I am struggling or hurting, that God doesn’t really love me. I might not say it out loud, but my heart is screaming, “God if you loved me, you wouldn’t let this happen to me.”

I grew up believing I needed to earn love from others. If my grades were good, if I looked good, if I performed well, then there would be love waiting for me. Many call this performance-driven love.

However, God’s love is not based on my performance. His word declares His unconditional love for us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son……..” God, the perfect Father, gave us His son as perfect love in the form of a baby.

We can’t earn it, buy it, perform for it, or look good enough for it. Love is His gift to us.

Take a few minutes today to just ponder that little baby who was born, fully human and yet fully God.

He is love and He is madly in love with you!

Before surgery, I had to remove all my makeup, nail polish, perfume, and deodorant. I had to literally strip myself bare of all that makes me feel more presentable and even somehow more loveable.

As I laid unconscious on that operating table, I believe, no, I know that Jesus looked down at me with such love. He loved me, Donna Avant, even when I was utterly incapable of performing.

And, He loves you! He always has and He always will!

I’m choosing this Christmas to rest in His gift of love.

Will you join me?

Category - Uncategorized