Sending Christmas Cards
I saw an ad this week that offered Christmas photo cards at 50% off. I browsed them for a full minute, trying to choose my favorite style, until I reminded myself, “You don’t send Christmas cards.”
Letting Go of Expectations
When it comes to sending Christmas cards, I have deeply rooted good intentions. For the first decade of our 29-year marriage, I sent cards or update letters to family and friends. One year, I even tried stamping my own cards.
Then, I began teaching full time which meant that final exams had to be created and graded during December. During those busy years, I often wrote the update letter and copied it, but I didn’t send it. Witnessing my angst over the unsent Christmas letters, finally my husband said, “Jayne, let it go.”
Discovering God’s Good Intentions
Just like me, I’m convinced that we all have good intentions even if we don’t follow through on them.
That’s why when I recently read Ephesians 1:3-10, the words “according to His kind intention” captured my thoughts. God planned to adopt me long before I drew my first breath because of His kind intentions. He revealed the beautiful plan to forgive me because of His kind intentions.
For 20 years, I didn’t believe that my Father God had such kind intentions toward me. I assumed that my mess-ups disappointed Him, and my deep flaws annoyed Him. Then, He showed me that those beliefs were faulty. Instead, He wanted me to picture His smiling face always turned toward me.
May the Lord bless you
Numbers 6:24-26
and protect you.
May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
2May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
Getting to Know God
I also discovered that getting to know Jesus was the same as getting to know Father God. Jesus said, “To see me is to see the Father” (The Message). Now, when I read the Bible, I remember to picture God in the same way that I picture Jesus.
As I prayed about this week’s blog, I sensed that God wanted me to write about this topic. I had already written a blog post about something else! But, I kept hearing, “Someone reading this blog needs to know that I have kind intentions toward her.” It’s true. He loves you so much. You can’t disappoint Him or push Him away.
Stay Rooted in His Love
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