Tidings of Comfort and Joy

Tragic news of the mass killing in Connecticut rocked the world last week. People's emotions ranged from shock, sadness and grief to anger and outrage. Even the most peaceful of us found it hard to grasp how such a thing could happen at this joyful time of year.

But, many around the world are not joyful and deal with shootings and killings every day. Parents do not know whether their children will come home safely. Some have lost loved ones or have a dear one on death's door. My own father is precariously hanging on to life.

Yet, today marks the third week of Advent and the color of the candle on my wreath is pink - symbolizing both unconditional love and joy. Despite the great evil in the world, we can still have joy and unconditional love. How can this be you ask?

Because joy is a calm inner knowing that God is always with us. His name, Emmanuel means exactly that. God came to this earth in the form of a baby to bring us peace and joy because he knew that we would not find these things in the world.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27)

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:11).

Yes, we can have Joy this season despite our circumstances. Jesus is here to comfort us in our time of need. Will you be the hand and feet of Jesus and reach out to bring someone comfort and joy this season?

Let the joy of the Lord be your strength and your shield today (Ps. 28:7). He will bring you out of darkness and into His great Light!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

The holiday season is upon us and Christmas is three weeks from today. Are you wondering who's coming to dinner at your house this year?

In years past, I must confess, I have fretted over many things like who was and wasn't coming to dinner at Christmas, who was or wasn't coming to church, did I buy enough gifts for everybody, will they like the food ya da ya da ya da. Woe is me.

This year I have decided to give all that to the Lord. I am not going to fret about any of those issues. Because you know what? They are all out of my control. All I can do is extend the invitation and trust that those who are meant to be together will be.

And you know what else? The most important guest in my house is someone I cannot even touch or see, but I can certainly feel. His name is Jesus. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and he brings his gifts of hope, peace, joy and love. If He is there, then I will be content. When I focus on Him, everything else melts away like the snow when the sun shines on it. My spirit is at peace and my heart is brimming with His great love for me.

What about you? Are you fretting over something this holiday season? Is it out of your control? Then I encourage you to give it to the Lord and let him take care of things. He knows what is best and while we may not understand his ways, we know that he is always working things out for our good.

Whoever comes to dinner this year, I know it will be joyous for we will be celebrating the greatest gift ever given: the Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us.

Until next time, keep the faith and keep looking up!

Dreams Do Come True!

Do you have a dream? A burning desire within your heart? If you look deep enough, I'm sure you do. Allow me to share one of my dreams with you.

I love to travel. For many years now, I have had a strong desire to visit Argentina. Why? I don't exactly know. The desire was kindled years ago when the first Argentine tall ship came into port in Baltimore. The crew was enamored because I was trying to speak their language and showed me a map of their country explaining how diverse it was and how I just had to come visit. The seed was planted.

Fast forward over a decade. I tried to make big vacation plans for the past two years and each time, the plans fell through for one reason or another. This year, I decided to plan to go to Argentina and Brazil, while I was there, of course. As the weeks and months of searching for that perfect tour went by, I was so bummed and ready to give up. "Not again, Lord. Can't I go on a nice vacation?" I asked. Silence.

"Follow your dream," my massage therapist encouraged.

And so I did. I kept pursuing, seeking, asking questions and of course, fervently praying. I always keep in mind if something is the Lord's will for my life or not. And then, the exact itinerary I had wanted showed up and things fell into place! My travel agent was just as excited, if not more so. "Oh, Senora, I am so happy for you!" she bubbled everytime we spoke.

So tomorrow I fly to South America. Who knows what adventures await? What wondrous sights will I behold? As I pack my bags, I stopped to write this post to encourage all of you, my friends, to follow your dreams, whatever they may be and however impossible they may seem. If things aren't working out in one direction, perhaps it is because the Lord has something so much better in mind for you in another direction.

Until next time, follow your dreams and keep looking up!

Ariel 

Making Time for What Really Matters

It's a busy season, for sure. Kids are back in school. Holidays are on the way and the pace of work picks up to an end of year crescendo.

As I sit here listening to romantic french music and enjoying a candlelight dinner, it occurs to me that cooking a nice meal at home on a weeknight no less, matters. Going to my yoga class, when I really didn't feel like it - matters. Taking time to talk to a friend in need today even though I was swamped at work - matters.

It's called making time to nourish my spirit, my body and my relationships.

I have learned when things are the most hectic, that is when I need to listen to that gentle inner voice; the voice that whispers "Slow down, be kind to yourself. Relax". For too many years as a single parent, I ignored that voice and pushed myself to exhaustion. I had to.

But not anymore. What about you friend? Are you pushing yourself to finish the next thing on your to-do list? Are you totally exhausted by the time friday comes around? If so, then I would say it's time to reevaluate.

Make some time to reflect on what really matters to you: where and how do you feel most content, relaxed and at peace? These are good questions to ask ourselves from time to time. It's so easy to get caught up in the rat race, as some put it. I hope this post has encouraged you to do as my son says "Smell the roses".
Until next time, keep the faith, keep smiling and keep looking up!

The Purpose of Pain

My knee starts hurting and I have to take a break from jogging. My foot aches and I need to buy arch supports and lower heels. My blood pressure is high and I need to relax more. Seems like it's always something these days. Can you relate?

Pain gets my attention for sure. When birthing my two sons, there was no way I was going to "tough it out". "Give me some pain medicine," I said clutching my doctor's arm when those contractions hit their crescendo. I do not like pain.

Pain comes in different forms: physical, emotional, mental. Perhaps it is a broken bone, a wounded relationship or a fractured thought pattern.

But most pain has a purpose - to get my attention and to teach me something. Pain slows me down and gets me to focus on the problem area. It interupts my daily activities and changes my priorities. If seen from this perspective, pain can be a blessing. It is a warning sign that something is wrong and needs attention.

Of course, I can always ignore the warning signs and carry on along my merry way, but that is usuallly not wise. Proverbs 27:12 (NLT)says "The prudent forsees danger and takes precautions, but the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

So it all depends on how we view our pain. We can moan and complain or we can do something about it. I like to say "Don'waste the pain - learn from it." And finally, pain gives us compassion for others. Everyone is hurting in some way and when we hurt, we are able to empathize more with what others are going through.

If you're going through a painful situation right now, I hope this encourages you to persevere and look for the good. Do leave me a comment or pass this on to a friend in need.

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel

Is it Really Luck?

About three few weeks ago, I went for a hike at the park near my home. My cell phone rang and apparently, as I was taking it out of my pocket, my prescription sunglass overlay fell out of my pocket, unbeknownst to me. When I discovered the loss, I was quite perturbed. I circled back on the trail to try to find my glasses, but it was getting dark and the park was ready to close. No luck. The next day, I came out again to retrace my steps in hopes of finding the glasses - still, no luck.

I prayed and prayed. I decided to let the issue go and not fret over it. What was done was done, and it was my fault for not paying attention anyway.

So this past sunday was a lovely day and I decided to go for another hike. Something told me to stop in at the Nature Center. "Do you happen to have a lost and found? I was on the trail a few weeks ago and lost my prescription sunglass overlay. I was wondering if anyone had found them," I explained to the young lady at the desk.

"Wait here and I'll check," she said. Now, after 3 weeks, I didn't want to get my hopes up that the glasses would be there. I decided to remain calm and wait it faith while she checked.

The young lady emerged looking pretty solemn. Then she raised her hand which held - guess what? My prescription sunglass overlay! Now what are the chances of that? They were intact and not even scratched. I burst out with joy and thanked her profusely.

Now, some call this fate, some call it luck; I call it God. I was teary-eyed as I left the Nature Center. To me, it was God's grace in action once again. He cares about everything we care about, everything that troubles us. "Cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

What is it that you are fretting about, dear one? Is it a job situation, a loss of some sort, or perhaps a financial issue? Rest in His loving arms, because He does care for you, more than you can ever imagine. When we have done all we can about a situation, it is best to give it up to God and let Him handle it. He can and will!

Drop me a note and let me know what you think of this story and if anything like this has ever happened to you. In the meantime, trust God and keep looking up!

Keep it Simple

Sometimes I think I make life too difficult for myself. After being a single parent for so many years, and being responsible for everything, I still have the occasional tendency to take on too much, do too much, and fret too much. Can you relate?

Think of the story of Mary and Martha. Jesus was visiting their home and Martha was running around doing all kinds of hospitality things and complaining that Mary wasn't helping. Boy, have I been there. Mary, on the other hand, was enjoying the company of their esteemed guest. Instead of "doing", Mary was "being".

This past fall, I was dealing with a health issue and didn't have much energy to do much of anything. Then one day I heard His voice. "Be still and know that I am God." (Ps. 46:10) I realized it really doesn't matter to God how much I "do" anymore. I can only "do" by His grace anyway. "Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

Living a life that pleases God is simple. It boils down to two words which I am sure we have all heard before: "Trust and obey." That's it. Trust God and do what he says to do. Now that doesn't mean forsaking all my responsibilities, but when I feel anxious, overwhelmed, or overtired, I know I am doing too much.

How about you? What signs show up in your life that remind you to "be" instead of "do"? What are a few ways you can simplify your life? Write and let me know and

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz