ENCOURAGED IN HEART

There’s no possible way to start this after Christmas post without telling you this important fact.  I’m in love with a man who wears a tunic.  No, not a dress ladies…a tunic!

For those who weren’t able to attend our Christmas Eve services, here’s the Finkster, in our church’s live nativity, as a Wise Man.

I guess you can say that this Jersey girl has a thing for wise guys…well, just one.  He followed the star from West Virginia in a fire engine red tunic (way to go on the details Sarah!).  It’s apparent that this holiday season, besides having a thing for The Finkster in a dress, um…I mean tunic; I also have a thing for lamenting, or getting “too bent” over the details of holiday entertaining.  But this year,  God slapped with with the reality stick…also called truth.

Here’s the truth.

People are not coming to my house for my cooking.  Friends know that Martha Stewart does not, has not and will never live here.  No one entered into our home looking for my signature “dish” or longing for my souffle a-la-something, cause there’s no souffle.  It’s just us.

And I used to hate that about me.  That I’m not crafty, nor a gourmet cook…

I’m no longer going to beat myself up for what I’m not!

Sure, I want to make a nice meal and provide a relatively clean home.   But I care more about the laughs, the relationships, the connecting and the memories.  And this past week, we’ve had some very special guests.  Nancy, my friend/accountability/prayer partner came all the way from Florida, (in her very sexy mini van)…

driven by Pedro, or “Captain Red Bull”…

with their FOUR boys.  Yes, Nancy’s WAY outnumbered!

(The Suriel and Fink boys in a “group hug”! So much cute-ness for one pic!)

I love them all, SO much.  I know they came to town because they love us and not for my cooking.  So I decided I’m going to be more Mary, than Martha (and, I’m not talking about Martha Stewart!).

“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her”.
Luke 10:38-42

I decided to do a make-your-own-taco/burrito bar with a fruit tray and that way, the kids could make what they liked.  Nancy’s a ground turkey gal too – so her guys didn’t go into beef-deprivation-shock!

Then last night, we had some friends over for dinner and game night.  I made a ziti, salad and fruit tray.  Sure, the food wasn’t gourmet but the fellowship and laughs sure were!  I’m sad to report that the three firefighters – Dave, Dennis and Tom beat the three ladies Jo, Les and moi…in a WORD GAME no less! (I thought Taboo would be a ringer for female victory!)

But it was as I set the table last night, in preparation for the fun, that God spoke such a tender little message…and I wanted to share it with you.

One small gesture that I like to do when I entertain is put out fun, festive or other-than-white-napkins.   It’s not much,  just one small gesture, that shows a small amount of honor to our guests…

Last night I chose a simple red.  It’s just one small gesture that I wasn’t “too bent” over elaborate preparations.

Know what else? In my private times this week, even at church this Sunday, God’s been dealing with me on some stuff. He’s doing a new thing inside me and has asked me “to get bent” – to kneel before Him as I pray and lift some heavy cares, concerns and even more importantly control. (GASP!)

Kneeling, like the napkin, is just one small gesture…that shows honor.  I don’t want to get too bent, but live a life on two bent…that’s the Mary vs. Martha in a nutshell.

Will you let go of being “too bent” and get down on “two bent”?

No matter where I turn…there are wise guys everywhere!  And being a Jersey Girl, I know what I’m talking about on this one!

Here’s our adorable “Wise Guy” in his preschool play.  And just so you know…the present that he gave to the plastic baby Jesus was, “empty, Mom…there was nothing in it!”  Good to know bud!

Cal’s not the only Fink to don a tunic to celebrate Jesus birthday!  Nope…the Finkster will also this Christmas Eve.  Each year our church has an awesome indoor live nativity and Dave will be a Wise Man. Just don’t call his tunic a dress, he appears to get a little sensitive about it!

Another Wise Man, our one and only Pastor Kent, will lead two special candle light services with Communion. There will be a brief message by Pastor Kent Williams, a LIVE nativity, and a special gift for the children. Child care for infants to 3 years of age is available at the 5 pm service only.  If you need directions, click here!

Those in the NOVA/MD/DC area, I’d love for you to join us!  Those not in the NOVA/MD/DC area…I’d love for you to join us too, but it would be a hefty commute!

I love the sign that says “Wise Men (and women!) Still Seek Him” – I pray that’s true for you and your family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!

Here in Northern Virginia, we’ve been blasted with a blizzard…at least 18 inches of snow!

(Above, the Pac-Man path to out place!)

18 inches might as well be 18 feet cause this place shut down….and fast.  The storm started Friday night.  On Saturday, they closed school for Monday and Tuesday – so no more school for the guys until 2010.  They were so devastated (cha, right!), they built a snow fort and went sledding!

(The stuffed animal is a Husky named “Fluffy” – Jake’s class mascot sent home to hang with him!)

Well, that is AFTER we got them working…shoveling.  Or perhaps more accurately, causing the Finkster 23 more gray hairs with throwing their freshly tossed snow onto his recently cleared path.  Entertainment (at least for me!) was everywhere!

(Above: Does it look like Cal knows something going on that I don’t? PROBABLY!)

Few things look more delicious than my three cute men working…

While we did have a blast sledding,

my favorite memory of the day had nothing to do with our sled, but rather our shovelS.  We finished shoveling our place much quicker than expected because our next door neighbor, Brent, shoveled our place out with us.  Reminded me of what my Grandma Karl used to say, “the more hands, the lighter the work”. Grandma Karl used to also say, “she worked like a trojan” too (it means to work really hard) – that is, until my Pop told her what a common day use for the word “trojan” was.  Needless to say, Grandma never used that saying ever again.

Anyhoo, back to the snow…

After we were done with our place, Dave and I decided to shovel the elderly couples driveway at the opposite end of the block.  The wife uses a walker.  We regularly talk about how much we want Jake and Cal to be servants for God but sometimes the service “events” are still too old for them.  They see Mom and Dad serve at church and in the community and that counts for something, but  this would be an opportunity to not just tell the boys about service, but let them serve.

Dave told them what we were going to do, and why…so down the ice rink, (or street, whatever you prefer to call it!), we headed.

Know what?

Brent joined.

Then Collin, Jenn and their son Patrick did too.

Then J.J walked down.

Then Joan and her daughter came out (with a plate of cookies to keep the team fueled!) and started shoveling.

I asked the Jake and Cal what this was called – they called out, “team work!”  There’s no way I could have taught them a lesson like this…it was just awesome!

I’m telling ya what, to live in this kind of a neighborhood…heck, I’m just plain misty-eyed typing.  To see so many people shovel, just blessed my heart.  They didn’t really know this couple, they just did it because that’s the kind of amazing people we’re surrounded with…and we’re so blessed!

It was just one of those moments…that I’ll cherish.  I pray this memory will be burned into both our boys hearts and memory banks too.

I’m learning that sharing my faith with others has a lot more to do with the life I live than the fancy religious talk.  The fancy religious talk doesn’t get them out of their driveway and to the grocery store.  But someday, if the shoveled path led to a conversation…I’m so there!

St. Francis said it best, “Preach the Gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.”  I wonder if St. Francis came up with that wisdom while shoveling snow?