Building a Doll House: Christmas Morning – Chapter 13

January 5th, 2013 dsisler

NOTE: If you missed Chapters 1-12 of Building a Doll House, you can find it in the column under “blog archive” to the right.

 

Christmas morning arrived. It was time for Joy to see her dollhouse for the first time. However, it was a pretty large gift and would not fit under the tree. So I created a scavenger hunt for her to search for her gift. The hunt ended in the guest room where Joy found her doll house.

 

All the anticipation leading to this moment was worth it. Wondering whether she would like her doll house disappeared the moment she saw it. When Joy saw the doll house, her face told us how she felt. The excitement, the thrill, the joy. It was all there. Expressed by wondering eyes, a smile that melts the heart, and uncertainty of where to begin the exploration. It was priceless!

 

I wonder if this isn’t how God feels when we accept Him as our Father and His Word as our guide to live by. When we get the picture that it isn’t all about “me.” When we willingly and cheerfully give of ourselves to others. Then He looks at us with joy in His heart. With excitement that cannot be contained.

 

He is the designer and when His creation accepts the challenge to be as He originally designed, God is most satisfied and thrilled by our actions.

 

The Apostle Paul encouraged the Christians in Thessalonica to live lives that pleased God. Take a look at these words. “Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1 – NIV)

 

This group of people were pleasing God by their actions and their attitudes. But that didn’t mean they had reached their goal. They needed to keep on doing what they were doing, but do it more and more. So what lifestyle is pleasing to God? Let’s continue with this passage to find out.

 

Paul begins with being sanctified. Sanctified means to be holy or blameless. To be set apart for holiness. There are other passages that call us to be holy. Romans 12:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:9; and 1 Peter 1:15 to name a few. It means we must live to please God instead of our sinful nature.

 

Which Paul mentions next. “You should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3a-6 – NIV) In order to please God, we must rid ourselves of anything that is displeasing to Him. Our hearts and minds must be pure of sexual immorality, lust, and uncontrollable urges.

 

Paul then moves to our treatment of others. He instructs them to be careful not to wrong another brother or take advantage of him. (1 Thessalonians 4:6) As we come to a better understanding of how God wants us to live, we acknowledge the second greatest commandment. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31 – NIV) Paul was simply restating Jesus’ words.

 

In the next section, Paul encourages these brothers to treat others well, but also to grow their brotherly love. They obviously were doing so, but Paul told them they could improve. “You do love all the brothers throughout Macdeonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.” (1 Thessalonians 4:10 – NIV) Regardless of how much we love, we can love more. It is part of what pleases God.

 

This group of Christians were then asked to “make it their ambition” to do a few more things. To lead a quiet life. To mind their own business. To work with their hands. To live lives that will win respect of outsiders. To be independent of others. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

 

For me, this seems like an odd list of objectives for living a holy life. The only directive that seems to be related to God in any way is the section about winning the respect of others. That our holy lives would reflect God and that would bring others to Christ. But clearly, these elements are to be pursued. Pursued ambitiously!

 

I suspect by using these guidelines to live by, we would have less opportunity to allow sin to creep into our lives. A quiet life would imply that carousing isn’t taking place. Minding our own business would imply that our lives are free of gossip. Working with our hands would imply that we desire to accomplish good, not evil. Being independent in our well-being would imply that laziness is absent.

 

In all of these areas then, others for certain would see God working in us and through us. Our holy lives would indeed win the respect of non-believers.

 

And holy lives are pleasing to God. I said it earlier, but it is worth repeating. God is the designer and when His creation accepts the challenge to be as He originally designed, God is most satisfied and thrilled by our actions.

 

So, what steps are you taking today to live a holy life? What ambitions have you set for yourself? What more do you need to do?

 

As Paul said, “do so more and more.” There is always room for improvement. Each of us can move a little closer to God. And in doing so, we are living a life that is pleasing to Him.

 

Many playful hours have been spent in the rooms of the doll house. And I suspect there will be many more to come. This play area has brought great pleasure to our granddaughter, but to be honest, it brings great pleasure to my husband and me as well.

 

Each moment Joy spends rearranging furniture or playing with “the family” brings joy to my heart. Her imagination, her enthusiasm, and her enjoyment make the building of this doll house all that more meaningful. And I smile!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Building a Doll House: What to Do With the Leftovers – Chapter 12

January 4th, 2013 dsisler

NOTE: If you missed Chapters 1-11 of Building a Doll House, you can find it in the column under “blog archive” to the right.

 

As we were drawing closer to the finished product, I realized there were three pieces that didn’t seem to have any place on the house.  We had leftovers!

 

Two of the pieces had a sticky note on them with their respective numbers. After our cross reference, we found that one piece should have gone on the house long before. Our inspection found that there was no way it could be placed where it belonged and that the house would be just fine without it.

 

The piece without the sticky note was the flower box that would go on the front of the house. A pure aesthetic piece and would be one of the last things added to the house.

 

The third piece was puzzling. The number matched an item that was already on the house. Even more puzzling was that on the sticky note it also said “4 pieces.”  We still don’t know where this piece was supposed to go, but again, the house is sound and it doesn’t seem to be begging for this last piece of wood.

 

What do you think of when you hear “leftovers?” The food sitting in your fridge that will be tomorrow’s trash? The scraps of craft items you haven’t been able to use? The pain that remains from a deep hurt? Broken relationships? Death? Shattered marriages or damaged friendships? These are all “leftovers” of our lives. Some are good, some are painful, but we still need to determine what to do with them.

 

Scripture gives a few ideas…sometimes the leftovers were destroyed, sacrificed or trampled.

 

In Exodus, the locusts devoured everything leftover after the hailstorm when Pharaoh wouldn’t release the Israelites from bondage. (Exodus 10:15)

 

At Aaron and his sons’ ordination anything from the ram or from the bread that was leftover until morning was to be burned up (Exodus 8:32), while in Leviticus 7:16, leftover food from offerings could be eaten.

 

In the book of Ruth, we see Ruth gleaning in Boaz’s fields (Ruth 2:2). She would glean the barley that was left over after the harvesters. Boaz even told the harvesters to leave extra behind for her.

 

And there were the leftovers from the feeding of the 5,000. John 6:12 tells us that Jesus didn’t want anything to be wasted. I wonder what they did with those leftovers?

There have been times in my life when everything seemed to be just fine, but there were pieces lying around that didn’t seem to fit. Whether it was a hobby or a friend or sin.

 

God has given me the directions for my life, but sometimes I ignore His guidance and miss adding something to my life. Sometimes I get ahead of Him and then wait for the piece to be added. And then at other times I have no idea what I missed or where something should be added and it is a complete mystery.

 

Whatever the case, my focus must stay on God. He’s the Author of the plan. He is the Designer of the life. He is the Creator of me.

So what are we to do with the leftovers of our lives? Remember, Jesus doesn’t want anything to be wasted. It may be different for each of us. But what I do know is that when we give them to God, He can do amazing and remarkable things with the leftovers.

 

He can restore hope, mend broken hearts, and heal wounded relationships. In the end, He can take all those leftover pieces and make them into something beautiful.

 

Now, what will you do with your leftover pieces?

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Building a Doll House: Anticipation – Chapter 11

January 3rd, 2013 dsisler

NOTE: If you missed Chapters 1-10 of Building a Doll House, you can find it in the column under “blog archive” to the right.

 

After several months of working on the doll house, it was finally beginning to look like a house. The roof was coming along…although it was the longest, most tedious, most painstaking work done on the entire house. The electrical system was hooked up. The wall paper, ceilings and floors were complete.

 

It was beautiful!

 

On Christmas Eve as the final touches were being put into place, anticipation set in. How would it be when it was finally finished and Joy saw her doll house for the first time? Would she like it? Would it be exactly what she hoped for?

 

Of course, nothing could prepare us for her reaction (which you’ll read about in the next chapter), but we were certainly nervous and filled with anticipation.

 

You know exactly what I’m talking about. That long, almost unbearable waiting for something. At each thought of what is to come, a zap of excitement shoots through your body and you cannot keep that smile from bursting forth. Perhaps you might even giggle. We’ve all been there. Anticipating.

 

I have anticipated some exciting events in my lifetime. The birth of my children and grandchildren are high on the list. Of course, their first birthdays were also times of anticipation. Seeing what they each had accomplished in that first year leading up that first birthday was exciting. I wouldn’t have traded any of those times for anything.

 

But there have been others. Moving to a new city or state. Before I moved to Colorado, I had the months of the calendar plastered on my bedroom wall…each day I would cross off a day, and eventually, the date came when I could load the truck and head to this beautiful state and my husband.

 

The start of a new job. There have been plenty of those. The months preparing for a trip to Daytona Beach and my first NASCAR race…why I could hardly contain myself!

 

And today, I’m anxiously awaiting the birth of my fourth grandchild.

 

Yes, waiting for Christmas morning was exciting for me. But was that where my focus should have been?

 

Some synonyms of anticipation are expectation, prospect, eagerness, hope, or contemplation. The very nature of the word allows for those giddy feelings to surface. Contemplating the “what ifs” or believing there is hope fuels excitement. Expecting a good outcome brings peace during times of anticipation.

 

Anticipation has been around a long time and can be linked to our faith in God. Just as those living under the old covenant eagerly waited for the coming of the Messiah, we too, eagerly await the second coming of Jesus, the Messiah. It brings hope to this otherwise hopeless world. But that must not be our only focus. We must anticipate the good things that God desires to add to our lives in the present.

 

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)  assures us that we should be anticipating what God is doing in our lives. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

 

I am so thankful that God isn’t finished with me yet. He still has a long way to go. I still encounter feelings of jealousy, rebellion, insecurity, depression and many more. Anticipating a life free of these emotions is exciting for me. So I’ll continue to allow God to do His work until He says “Perfect!”

 

And Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) gives us insight into what we should be doing with what God has done within us while awaiting the second coming. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

 

Waiting goes much faster when we have something to do. So while we are waiting and anticipating, God has prepared a few things for us to do while we wait. There are good works to be done. And we are called to be doing them.

 

Waiting for Joy to arrive that Christmas morning was very exciting. Waiting to open presents was thrilling. Expectations were high. Each of us filled with the splendor of Christmas. Anticipating.

 

Yes, anticipation is exciting. In our physical lives, but also in our spiritual lives. Oh, I pray that you will anticipate what God is doing in your life. Watch for His workings. Anticipate what He will do with it. And of course, eagerly wait for His return. I know I can hardly wait!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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A Chicken Farm

January 2nd, 2013 dsisler

I have a favorite restaurant here in Colorado. They serve fried chicken that is moist and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. There is also kidney bean salad, pickled beets, cottage cheese, coleslaw and corn fritters served family style and unlimited. And don’t forget the shops, a petting zoo, and live music throughout the week.

 

whitefencefarm.com

There are two problems however, I have with this restaurant. First, it is pretty far from where we live and there is really no reason to be “passing by.” It takes at least 45 minutes to get there. So a planned trip to dine on this delectable fair is a must.

 

The second problem is that they close down the restaurant for the whole month of January. With my birthday in January, my favorite restaurant is always off the list for a place to celebrate. How disappointing!

 

The good news? The restaurant is still open 11 months of the year and we make several trips during those 11 months to get our fill of this great food.

 

More good news? God doesn’t take time off from caring about you and me. He is always there when we need Him…and when we think we don’t need Him.

 

Just read through some of the promises found in Scripture to gain a deeper understanding of how God will always be there for us. He is an amazing God!

 

In the Old Testament we find God reminding His people of His dedication to them. God promised to be with them. And He always kept His promise. We can believe that when God promises to be with us, we know He will be.

 

The Hebrew nation received word of this promise as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. Not only was God with them (Deuteronomy 31:6), but they were assured by Moses that God was going before them. “The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the Lord said.” (Deuteronomy 31:3 – NIV)

 

Joshua also received this promise as he prepared to take over leadership of this great nation. “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5 – NIV) With God on his side, Joshua certainly had nothing to fear.

 

King David assured his son, Solomon, that just as God had been with him through his life, God would be with Solomon as he ruled Israel (1 Chronicles 28:20).

 

David also shared some of his feelings through the Book of Psalm. How God was with him each step of the way. We can be assured that God will be with us, just as He was with David.

 

God was with David as he dealt with the pain of death. In Psalm 23:4 (NIV), David shared his assurance of this fact. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

 

David also assured others that God would be there continuously. Psalm 121:3-4 (NIV) says, “He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

 

In Psalm 139:7-12, David stated that he could not hide from God’s Spirit. Wherever he went, God was with him. Whatever situation he faced, God was there.

 

Isaiah proclaimed to Israel that God would be there for them in Isaiah 41. Throughout this chapter, God recounts His actions. What He had accomplished and would accomplish through Israel. And God also declared, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 – NIV)

 

In the New Testament, we see more promises of God’s presence. Jesus, speaking to His disciples, told them, “And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b – NIV)

 

We find in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 that God will be with us to comfort us. Just as we have been comforted by God, we are then able to comfort others.

 

And we see in the Book of Hebrews a reminder of God’s words. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5 – NIV)

 

God will be with us. We never have to wait for Him to return from vacation or re-appear after a break. We can hold onto the promise that God is with us.

 

There are more Scripture about this particular promise from God. Do you have a favorite? What verse speaks to you and assures you that God is always with you? What passage do you grip tightly when everything seems to falling apart around you? I would love to hear what you have to say.

 

The restaurant, White Fence Farm, will continue to be on my “I cannot wait until February” list. Just as sure as I know that, I know that God has been and will be with me through it all.

 

He’s been with me through the rough times. He’s been with me through the rebellious times. He’s been with me through the joyous times. And He isn’t going to stop for all eternity. God is so faithful. And for His faithfulness, I’m eternally grateful.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Hello 2013…

January 1st, 2013 dsisler

Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that we have just entered the year 2013. Not for anything in particular, but because time is flying so quickly!

 

My granddaughter Joy spent New Year’s Eve with us. I had activities planned for each hour to keep her occupied. We celebrated the New Year on Eastern Standard Time. Meaning, we watched the ball drop in Times Square at 10 p.m. and then headed to bed.

 

As the evening went on, we talked about what a new year meant, we discussed goals, and we thought about the blessings we have in our lives and where these blessings come from (James 1:17).

 

There were arts and crafts, work sheets, a time capsule, and even party supplies. New Year’s Eve at Baba’s was pretty exciting! So much so, that Joy said, “Time really does go fast when you’re having fun!”

 

So what does a new year mean to you? Is it a time to forget the mistakes you’ve made this past year? Is it a time for you to set new goals or resolutions? Or perhaps, you look to the New Year in hopes that you’ll just survive?

 

For many, this day brings hope, light, and newness that the old cannot offer. For others, there is nothing to look forward to. I’m here to tell you that God has a great plan for each of us in the New Year. Actually, His plan works at any point during the year or throughout our lives.

 

We know from the book of Philippians that it was Paul’s desire to forget the past. To look toward the future. We should listen to Paul’s words and do exactly as he did.

 

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14 – NIV)

 

With the grace of God, we are able to forget it all. There’s no need to keep bringing it up. To keep reliving it. Forget it! And know that the prize of heaven awaits you. That’s what we should be reaching for.

 

And also know that God makes all things new! He can take an old creation that has rips and tears in the soul and create something beautiful. Here are a few verses to show what He is capable of doing.

 

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11a – NIV)

 

“To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” (Isaiah 61:3a – NIV)

 

“He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:5 – NIV)

 

God has in the past, is in the present, and will in the future make all things new. It is His desire for us to move from our old way of life and accept His new way. God’s way includes life, love, acceptance, forgiveness, grace, and eternal life to name a few.

 

There’s a short song written by Steven Curtis Chapman titled “Happy New Year.” It tells the story of one person’s look at the New Year. Take a look at the lyrics.

 

Happy New Year

The decorations have been moved back to the attic;
Our resolutions and our diets all in place.
As another chapter ends and another one begins;
Slowly now we turn the page.

Out into the midnight sky, I stare in wonder;
At the grand design of how our planet dances with the sun.
And I’m thinkin’ this could be God’s way of whispering
“A story’s being told and the best is yet to come.”

So Happy New Year, Happy New Year.
Another chance to catch a glimpse of what is coming true.

So Happy New Year, Happy New Year.
The God who made everything
Is remaking everything.

The God who made everything
He says I’m making all things new.[i]

 

Are you ready to begin this New Year with God’s newness surrounding you? Do you believe that God is able to make all things new? What is God whispering to you? These are questions that only you can answer. I pray that you’ll hear God’s whisper.

 

Happy New Year!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna


[i] © 2012 Chappy Campers Music (BMI) (admin. by Primary Wave/Wixen Music)

 

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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

  • I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in Jacksonville, Florida.

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