December 12th Reflection

Reading
Luke 1:57-66 (NRSV)
The birth of John the Baptist
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Reflection
It's been over a month since I have been at this blog. That doesn't mean that my walk with God has ceased or anything of the sort. In fact, in some ways the walk has turned into a journey of sorts. I usually don't directly reflect on my own life in this blog but this day I have decided to change it up a bit.

For anyone who was following the read through the Bible plan I was using, continue on. You can find this plan at www.oneyearbibleonline.com. I have enjoyed using this plan this past year and will close out the year with this plan as I read daily. Next year I have decided to choose a different plan. I find that choosing various read through the Bible plans and choosing different Bible versions helps me reflect on what God is speaking through the Word. Each day I attempt to use all of my senses to receive God's Word. God's presence is all around and through us each day if only we remain alert. And on some of the days when we are not alert, God's presence bursts into our lives in wonderful ways and sometimes in very fearful ways.

So here's whats been up with me this past month. First of all, I was blessed with a grandson on November 4th. His name is Daemien Fuller. It's funny, because he has a huge middle name that I'm not even sure of, that even may involve my name, but I'll leave that all up to my daughter Stephanie to explain.

I received my once every two month Remicade treatment for the Crohn's disease I battle. Then on the 18th of November a trip to Texas to see our new grandson and Kaiya (Steph and Devin too!). This was basically a work trip. Under the direction of Stephanie, I unpacked, cleaned, hauled furniture upstairs and basically put everything away from her move to Texas back in June or July of this year. How they lived with so much of their stuff still in boxes and closets, I'll never understand! Sarah flew down from Middletown to join us for Thanksgiving. Had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner and celebrated, the following day, Stephs two days early 21st birthday.

I had been noticing that my blood pressure was going up when I would take it by those machines at Krogers, Walmart and the malls. It was high and I knew that I needed to bring it up to the doctor on my next visit. Didn't think much more about it though. Upon our return on the 28th of November, on the last flight, I noticed what was, I thought, a cold setting in. When we landed my headache was so severe that I couldn't even drive home. So Sue drove home and I went to bed. And that was that for a week or so.

Thinking I had a cold, I went to work on Monday the 30th. I thought I was getting better, but Monday evening headache and nausea set in. I called off Monday. Saw the doctor on Tuesday and discovered it was a sinus infection. Then the fun began. The headache returned with a vengeance. By Saturday, Sue insisted that I see the doctor on call. Went in to the doctor and she sent me to the emergency room. The headache and nausea were caused by my blood pressure peaking at 234/123. Since then I have been back to the doctor and medication has been altered until I am now on three different blood pressure medicines. I was able to return to work this week, but had to monitor my blood pressure every three to four hours. And that's where I am today. My blood pressure is still high, but not as high as last Saturday.

Now to the scripture passage above. ---Sometimes I wonder what the events in my life have anything to do with God. Sometimes I stop and think, what are all of these random events that occur? I wonder if Elizabeth, Zechariah, and for that matter the people seeing this story unfold wondered the same thing. Are we just a group of puppets carrying out a story? Are we all possibly involved in the story of God's redemption of humankind? I think so.

Even in my life, as I reflect, there are multiple relationships with other's involved. Those relationships weave in and out and back and forth. Those relationships become entangled in sin, love, forgiveness, empathy, passion, hate, and what seems to me, to be any and all senses and emotions that you could ever imagine. In these relationships, God moves. God moves in and through me and in and through those I contact or touch each day.

Did John know that he would someday announce the coming of Jesus ministry? Did Elizabeth realize that this birth was to bring her close to Mary? Did anyone realize that the tapestry involved in their own story would weave in the Messiah? Who could have a clue of the birth, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus to come? And what about us? Can we even fathom how our life stories may someday be sewn into the burial cloth that covered Jesus in to tomb?

My hope and joy in this passage of scripture is that, thanks be to God, the twisting and turnings of my life and journey here in this place, may be sewn into God's tapestry of eternal life through Jesus Christ as I am involved in the Church day by day. My hope and joy in this passage of scripture is that, as Jesus comes to my door each day with Moses, Elijah and that one other person, that when Jesus invites Billy out to play, (this was a dream that I had at when five or six that sticks in my memory forever) my response will be "Sure! Let's go!"

Prayer
Lord, I give you thanks for the day. I give you thanks for the journey. I give you thanks for all those you send to me each day who bring flesh to your presence in my life. Invade me, that I may bring Your flesh and blood to someone You place before me this day. --- Amen