Author Archives: marykaymoody

For Moms on the Margins

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Here’s to you, moms on the margins!

You know who you are—though you may try to hide. Feeling on the outside edge of your neighborhood and your church.  Maybe a discouraged mother raising children solo after some wrecking ball tore through your marriage.  Maybe solitary since baby’s first cry. A fearful woman trying to protect her family from abuse. An exhausted mom raising a special needs child— handicapped if the word doesn’t irk you. Because don’t all children have special needs? Continue reading →

Davis Bunn’s THE TURNING

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In his new novel THE TURNING, Davis Bunn presents a story which is paradoxically as familiar as age-old fairy tales yet as astonishing as tomorrow’s news.

He brings together an unlikely group of five ordinary people. Ordinary, but dissimilar. Ordinary, except that they’ve each heard God. When they converge in New York City and encounter each other, they recognize that God has put them together. But they don’t know why? They only know they’ve been summoned.   Continue reading →

A FALL OF MARIGOLDS

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More than a few weeks have passed since I said “See y’all later.” We’ve accomplished a lot, though more still awaits! Life is full, and that’s all good, yes?  One pleasure has been some good books. (Are you surprised? grin) So I’ll tell you a bit about some of them. First, Susan Meissner’s latest–A FALL OF MARIGOLDS.

Some people WRITE IN BOOKS! Not only do I write in them, but good pages get flagged making favorite passages easier to return to. So A FALL OF MARIGOLDS in the photo below is a review on its own.

A FALL OF MARIGOLDS by Susan Meissner

September 1911. On Ellis Island in New York Harbor, nurse Clara Wood cannot face returning to Manhattan, where the man she loved fell to his death in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Then, while caring for a fevered immigrant whose own loss mirrors hers, she becomes intrigued by a name embroidered onto the scarf Continue reading →

GOOD NEWS FOR A BRUTAL VALENTINE’S DAY

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Ever feel left out on Valentine’s Day as waves of affection pour from radio, TV, even the grocery store? The expressions are meant to convey appreciation and love. But it can be a brutal day. When one is alone, the sentiments floating about the universe fly right past—aimed like Cupid’s arrow at someone else.

Continue reading →

Transformed Scar

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As the calendar page turns, I’m reminded of one of our favorite places, Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch.

CPYR is just 9 acres of rustic buildings, paddocks, barns, horses, and joyous people who work hard and scatter love to the hundreds of visitors like a sower flings seed. It appears similar to small country places scattered across rural America. But Ed and I see it with eyes that reveal it as a miracle. As if by trick photography, we see the current bursting-with-life ranch as superimposed on the image of what it used to be: a barren, scraped raw cinder mine, a scar upon the beautiful land near The Three Sisters Mountains in Oregon. Looking at it through those eyes, the miracles that have transformed blight to hope are Continue reading →

Embracing the CHRIST in Christmas

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Early in our marriage Ed navigated job transfers and down-sizing—both of the company and salary. We developed the habit of purchasing our Christmas gifts throughout the year, and when December rolled around we had no need to shop. But we’d spend a date night sipping hot chocolate and strolling through shopping areas enjoying the decorations. Years later we shifted to a big shopping mall. But nowadays, it seems walking the aisles of stores at Christmas is more endurance test than enjoyment. Do you find it that way too? 

Well, the next time you’re out and about during the Christmas season, or watching television and get bombarded with commercials, try this. Look at individual decorations and try to see the spiritual connections they might make. A few examples–

Stars

Easy. “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea … there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’”  Matthew 2:1-2

“I Jesus … am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” Revelation 22:16

Candles, Lights

“Then spake Jesus … ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’”  John 8:12

“…the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God …”  2 Cor. 4:4

Christmas Tree:

Christmas trees are typically evergreens. And while their use for celebrating this holiday may not have started as a spiritual display, the ever-green characteristic reminds me of everlasting life in Christ.

 

Candy Canes

This candy, of course, resembles the crook shepherds carry, and shepherds play a well known part in the Christmas story, being the first to hear the news heralded by the angels in Luke 2:11: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Turned upside-down Also a story wends its way around this season, that a candy maker of old made the crook-shaped candy with colors—white representing Jesus Christ’s purity and red, His blood shed for our salvation.

In the spirit of giving at Christmas, please share what other decorations come to your mind. And how might they redirect thoughts back to the real meaning of Christmas?

 

Doing Christmas

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“It is easy to think Christmas, and it is easy to believe Christmas, but it is hard to act Christmas.” [Act Christmas by anonymous]*

Scripture, especially Matthew chapter 25 gives me ideas of how to act Christmas. There is related that Jesus will say to some, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” because they fed, clothed, and in other ways ministered to Him. When questioned about when they had ministered in such ways, he answered: 

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, ‘Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’” Matt. 25:40

So it seems that doing Christmas is more about serving others, meeting others’ needs. Perhaps even sacrificial giving.

When my son was young, we started a tradition of hanging a stocking for Jesus. It was just a dark green singleton that’d lost its mate. Humble, like Jesus. But as we went through the Advent season it was a great visual reminder to think about what would make Him happy. We filled the stocking with slips of paper identifying gifts given in Jesus name ~~ gifts of time, love, words, cookies. But also times we had chosen to yield our way, our turn, our preference in favor of someone else.  Continue reading →

Where Love is

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Each year we spend time in the story “Where Love Is,” by Leo Tolstoy. Sometimes we read, but our favorite is to listen to the amazing radio drama version played years ago on the Moody Bible station. 

God tells recently widowed shoemaker Martin that He will visit this day. Listening to it is so rich. We’re impacted by even the sound of the wind blowing when Martin opens his door to assist a child pelted with snowballs. We’re caught up at the crunch of snow as tired street sweeper Ivan walks away, warmed by Martin’s mug of hot tea and pair of gloves. 

Martin’s assistance to others passing his window continues, but his disappointment is palpable as the day grows late. He sighs, glancing at the window. “Lord, I thought you were coming today. … I guess it was only a dream. A lonely old man’s dream.” 

He opens his Bible and reads from Luke, but his eyelids grow heavy and he slumbers. Suddenly a voice calls his name. He startles, runs to the door, and flings it open. 

 

Darkness stared back. He slammed it. “Acht. Another dream.” 

“No, Martin. It is I, your Lord.”

“But, Lord, where were you? I thought you were coming to visit me   today.” Martin held his breath. Maybe he should not complain to the Savior.

            “But I did come today, Martin. You were a wonderful host. Did you not see me?”

            “No, Lord. I did not see you. When did you come?”

“But you fed me, Martin. You warmed me, and you clothed me.” 

Martin scratched his head. “Lord, when did I feed you? Or warm or clothe you? I did not see you.” 

Then the soft, clear voice said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

In his mind, Martin saw the old street sweeper; the sad, young lad; the frightened young mother with the hungry child. And he smiled.

“Thank you, dear Lord, for visiting me today.”

“It was my pleasure, Martin.” *

 What are some of your favorite Christmas stories?

[* Note: Section transcribed from the Moody Bible broadcast, but I’m unable to give credit to specific copywriters as MBN can no longer locate information about this radio play. ]

Advent – Making Room for Christ

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Our neighbor, Marge, faced Christmas from her bed. Battling illness for a few years, she’d grown so weak that her life had been pared down to activities of survival.

My friend, Jean, had emigrated from Scotland fifty years earlier and still reveled in all things Scottish. When any of us was ill, mourning, or struggling in any way, Jean’s gift was always a prayer and a tin of luscious shortbread cookies. 

So this year, as Marge’s world had shrunk, Jean remembered Marge’s comment from last Christmas.  “My grandson said your shortbread was the best cookie he’d ever tasted.  I’d love to have your recipe so I can make him some.” And Marge’s grandson, serving in Afghanistan, was coming home for Christmas and to see her before she died. So rather than shopping, or singing carols around the neighborhood, or watching Christmas movies, Jean baked shortbread. Then she wrapped it up in bright Christmas paper, tied it with a red bow, addressed the tag to Marge’s grandson, signed the card “Love, Grandma,” and walked it over to Marge’s. 

As we walked and talked about Christmas, Jean praised me for teaching a weekly Bible study and said she wished she had some talent or gift God could use. Jaw dropping, I stopped and stared at her five-foot form and then shared my disagreement. Her comment highlights the way many of us have trouble knowing how to convert our beliefs into actions.

 We all know that when Jesus was born, Bethlehem was crowded, and with no room available, Joseph and Mary had sought out some humble space to rest.

Whether stable, cave, or what, we don’t know exactly, but Immanuel’s first crib was a manger—a crude feed trough. So in modern times, we often hear the admonition, “Make room for The Christ Child.” But what does that mean, and how do we do that nowadays?  Continue reading →