Auld Lang Syne (English translation: Old Long Since)

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And old lang syne?

(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!
And surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
And picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
Since auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
For auld lang syne.

As I read the translation of Auld Lang Syne and pondered its implication to the closing out of 2020, I couldn’t help but share.

Hindsight is 2020 they say. This New Year’s Eve, as we reflect back on 2020, let’s look carefully and seek clarity. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. The year has been so challenging, frightening even for some, that we tend to want to put it behind us and forget it ever happened. But that would be unwise. There is much to learn and even much to appreciate from the year 2020.

Things we have learned in 2020.

1. The importance of keeping relationships healthy. We never know when life will change or death will come. Scripture tells us, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:13-14) We must learn to work on even those difficult relationships. Mend fences. Re-establish broken ties with family members. Take care of those we love. Love them fully and let go of bitterness.
2. We do need to take that cup of kindness and give a cup of kindness. I’m not sure of the intent of the author of the song, but if nothing else in this strange year, we have learned to lead with kindness. Be kind to those who wear a mask and those who don’t. To Democrats & Republicans. To people different from us in every way imaginable. To the hurting, the sick, the poor, the rich, the godly, the ungodly, the sweet and the mean ones. Just be kind. “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: … in… kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.” (2 Corinthians 6:3-4 & 6)
3. Grab the opportunity for every beautiful experience you can. The third verse of our song talks about picking daisies, running about the slopes and wandering around on long walks. Time outdoors, time traipsing around with friends, time in the sun, these things are crucial to our physical and mental health. Get out in the great outdoors with friends as often as you can. “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord.” Psalm 96:11-13
4. In 2020, we too found that many of those we paddled through life with are not around; there is suddenly a broad sea between us. Working at home suddenly separates you from your “work family.” Church friends that you once saw every Sunday or even several times a week may now have been absent from your life for 9 months. Family and friends in other cities, states, or countries are absent from our lives, and the recent holidays proved to be a lonely affair for many.

So what do we do? We reach out and lend a hand. We offer a big cup of sweet tea on the deck, 6 feet away, in the sunshine. We meet for Bible study class at the park. We Zoom with each other. We call on the phone – the old fashioned way. We leave cute “happies” on a door step, take a bag of groceries or swap good books and puzzles when we’re through with them. We choose joy. We choose life. We choose to love and reach out.

During this dark time, we turn our hearts back where they belong – to Jesus.

A. We allow our Father God to plant and nurture and grow in us the fruit of His Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) There may be mask restrictions, or distancing guidelines, but there is no law against all the good that the Holy Spirit grows in us and pours through us to others.

B. We seek Him while He may be found. (Isaiah 55:6)

C. We tap down that worry and turn it over to Him through prayer and thankfulness. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

D. We walk in faith. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible…. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:1,3,6)

E. And “finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) We exercise self-control over our thoughts.

I’m sure I’ve just scratched the surface. There are many more ways we can apply scripture for our own good. Take a moment to reply with a verse you live out in your life that brings God’s peace and encouragement. Have a blessed 2021, but ponder on the lessons of 2020.

Original Auld Lang Syne (Scots language)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For days of auld lang syne

We twa hae run about the braes
And pu’d the gowans fine
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit
Sin days of auld lang syne

We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn
Frae morning sun till dine
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin days of auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For days of auld lang syne

And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp
And surely I’ll be mine
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere
And gie’s a hand o’ thine
And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught
For auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne

How do you usher in a new year? Resolutions? Commitments to work out, or eat right, or save money, or de-clutter, or read your Bible more?

As this very challenging year rolls to a close, let it not go out leaving us in despair. Let us send it on with gratitude for lessons learned, most importantly, for the knowledge of the brevity and great value of life. Then let’s usher in 2021 with the greatest hope and trust in our Father God.

While all those commitments and resolutions may sound like a good thing, I find that I go strong after them for a few weeks and then return to my old habits. A more useful tradition I have developed over the last few years is the habit of finding my watchword for the new year. That started several years ago at the prompting of our pastor.

My first word was “life.” My mom had died May of that year and I had spent the next 7 months grieving. My health was not good, I was having frequent anxiety attacks. I was scheduled for a hysterectomy. It felt as if I was living in death not life.

The word came to me out of a quiet time with the Father, as usually happens each year now. I new it was time to start living again, not grieving away my hours and not being satisfied with bad health. “Life” became a crucial watchword in my life that led to a turning point. In fact, in the renewal of that year and the creative push of the Creator in my life, this blog was born. That year was a fertile year and a re-awakening. I did embrace life, and found how to truly live again.

Since that first word I’ve had several others, grace, surrender, and now strengthen and steadfast. As the Covid social distancing wore on into October and my yearly Bible reading plan was walking me through the last half of the New Testament, I came across these verses, my verses for the year:

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Hebrews 12:12-13 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

They each pierced my heart. I have weak knees, physically. I sometimes feel they hold me back from the work the Lord has for me. So He’s telling me this is my year to strengthen them. I’m also at a stretching time in ministry. The second verse was a word of correction and encouragement from the Father Himself for me to keep working steadfastly. He has a purpose. It’s not in vain.

My words are dear to me. I challenge you to get to a quiet place for an extended period of time over this holiday season. Dig into the Word. Pray, pouring out you heart to the Father, but also listening in the quiet for Him to reveal your word and His purposes for you for the coming year. Pray and seek until you get your word and your verse. They will be dear to you. You will be surprised at how often the Father brings them up around you as you go through the year. You will also be surprised at what you see Him doing in and through you in relation to the words and verses He gave you.

He is a good, good Father and He has a plan for you for 2021! Let’s not go into this year with fear, nor with escape as our motivating factor. Let us go into 2021 open-eyed and alert, ready for whatever the Father brings our way. Trusting and knowing He is with us. Learning and growing in our relationship with Him. May 2021 be your best year yet in spite of any obstacles life may throw in your path. You can rest in the fact that while they surprise you, Your Father saw them coming, they did not surprise Him!

May you find light and peace and rest as you meditate on the true meaning of Christmas! May the Light of the World shine into your heart and home and bring calmness and joy to your heart!

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

Luke 2:4-20

We have known each other for a while now. We are all older, a tad wiser, and we have experienced much of life together. Years ago when we first met at work, our children were young, single digits in age, they – like us – have grown and aged. We all have sons and we had landed there a while. They are all different ages and in different stages of life. Many of our experiences are the same; we could all trend on the social media with the hashtag BoyMom.  

Their sons are grown and have entered the professional world. One has been drafted by the NFL and will no doubt do extraordinary things, the other is a bussiness-man in Atlanta. I wondered if they could have foreseen what the future would hold for their own boys so many years ago. I wondered what it takes to raise boys that become those kinds of men. 

“Motherhood looks different when your son outgrows you,” I thought. It saddened me to think what that was going to look like for me as my own son grows into adulthood. As I was thinking, their conversation shifted. They were talking about their boys becoming men, growing into adulthood, taking on responsibility. 

My thoughts shifted to another mother of a son. Another Boy-Mom

“You know why the shepherds knew right where to find Him in a town packed to the gills with people who’d come to town for a census?” 

It was a rhetorical question I knew, but I realized I did not know why. I’d always figured it was the star, or the… well the innkeeper let the cat out of the bag… maybe it was the… well… I didn’t actually know how they knew, I had never once asked myself that.

“Those shepherds weren’t just any ol’ shepherds, they were the keeper of the sacrifice.” This part I knew, the Bethlehem shepherds were responsible for rearing lambs to be sacrificed in the temple. Those sheep were special, they were to be blemish free perfect lambs to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. 

The Preacher Man  answered my question for me. 

“Those lambs were special. They had to be perfect so they were wrapped in swaddling clothes at birth and placed in a designated place of safety, like a manger, so as not to hurt themselves from thrashing around at birth. There was a place that was done, those shepherds woulda known where that was when those angels announced it.”

All my life I’d missed it, I can about quote this one from memory

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:11-12 

 I had missed a little word, sign. There it was, written out in scripture – the how they knew. 

That new mother, that ultimate boymom, had used what she had available to calm and quiet her little one. The Baby born that would change the world. That once and for all sacrifice for the sins of His people, the sins of His Mother, and the Sins of you and me. She likely couldn’t have known nor understood what was to come, what we have the perspective of history and scripture to know, but she was obedient and faithful beyond her seeing and that is all that was required of her in that moment. As time would unfold she was, and is, the ultimate Hashtag Boy-Mom. 

Have you ever looked in the sky to see a search light? When my brothers and I were young, businesses would set up huge search lights to send out strong lights into the night sky. You could see them for miles around. Sometimes there would be just one light but others times there would be many lights all starting from the same place circling through the sky. We would climb into our car and go out in search of these lights. The light was on a rotating base and would move in a circle around the sky. We would watch for it as we moved in the direction of the beginning point of the light. My Daddy would zigzag through the roads to look for where the light was shining. There was so much excitement when we would finally find the business that was using the search lights. We would get out of the car and be so overjoyed because we had found the reason for the light. There would usually be refreshments or something fun going on. It was a celebration! We had Found the Light!!

As I think about lights in the sky, I cannot not help but think of the Star that the Wise Men saw. They knew the stars in the sky. They knew that there were stars that stayed in position and other stars that were moving stars that we understand to be planets. The Wise Men were probably mathematicians that had mapped out the heavens. They would have known the stars and would have identified them, so they would have been excited and filled with wonderment about a new star that appeared. The Wise Men were diligently looking to the heavens so they recognized the new star.

If the star was so visible in the sky, why did King Herod’s advisors not see the star?

They were not looking for it. They were not diligently studying the heavens.

Jeremiah 29:13 says, “Your will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

In John 8:12 (ESV), Jesus tells us “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” 

Are you looking for the Light? 

Are you seeking Jesus?

It had been a particularly difficult Sunday start. It was nothing short of miraculous that we had arrived to the Church-house intact. 

I found myself in the position of adversary for the teenage daughter. She was angry at my insistence on her obedience. My mama used to say to me that I’d better “toe the line.”  I had no idea what that idiom meant in reality, but in our house it meant I’d better straighten up or I was going to experience the dire consequence that accompanied my choices. 

On the way in the door I’d said a quick prayer, the kind mothers everywhere must pray. It was something along the lines of “Lord give me the strength not to lose my mind up in here.” My other two children heard me and giggled at their not-a-gansta mama prayer.

As I worshipped and sang, prayed and petitioned, my adversary sat beside me and fumed with protest. She declared, “Don’t touch me!” when I’d accidentally brushed up against her, and I thought for sure we’d go toe to toe when I removed from her possession a smuggled in tumbler filled with apple juice. 

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, “She’s just makin’ noise.”

He is observant and direct. When he speaks to me, a man of few words. I’ve learned to listen when he speaks, to focus and pay attention because he doesn’t often repeat himself. I have also learned while he is not always profound and earth shattering with his words, he is wise.

“She’s just making noise.”

It was his way of saying to let it alone, let it go, and do not let the action of someone else influence me so much that I lose focus on the task at hand, on the King and what I had been instructed to do. 

I’d allowed her disobedience to become my own.

Without even being aware I had lost sight of what I was to do. The noise of another drowning out the whispers from the King. In wisdom, my husband was telling me to ignore the noise, focus and pay attention to the One who is never just noise and Who has the ability to speak peace and calm to my tumultuous heart even in the center of conflict. 

A charming Christmas carol and personal favorite of mine begins with that very question:

Do you see what I see?

Said the night wind to the little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky little lamb,
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star,
Dancing in the night,
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite.

Often our most precious gifts begin with a look. We look up at the sunrise first thing in the morning waiting to unwrap the gift of a new day that God has given us. We look over at a classmate in high school and sparks fly – the beginnings of a lifelong love. Kids look under the tree with eager eyes full of expectation. We look down at that tiny baby just seconds old, and our lives are changed forever by the best gift that we ever got. We look inward and see our sin and pain and need, and that is the beginning of a lifelong journey with Jesus – the best gift ever given.

Are we looking? Are we taking time to look around, to see those who are hurting? Those in need? Are we seeing the desperation of souls that are empty and lonely because they don’t know Jesus? Are we taking time to look?

Are we listening, too? This time of year the songs proclaim God’s glory and perfect gift. The bells and harps, guitars and orchestras, and the voices – lone and clear are full choir and rich and harmonic. What joy to listen! God uses these sounds to soften our hearts and prick our spirits. Are we listening for God to speak to us? He may be whispering, “Listen to the lonely. Listen to the wounded. Listen to the angry and betrayed. Be my heart to them.”

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy,
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song,
High above the trees,
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea.

Are we seeking to know what the shepherds in Bethlehem knew? The Christ child, the King, Immanuel had been born. A tiny babe who deserves all our gifts of worship and praise. Do we seek Hi through His Word? Are we wise women seeking to know Him and understand His ways and His purposes in our life? Let us bring Him our gift – our only gift worth giving the Baby King, our heart.

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm mighty king,
Do you know what I know?
A child, a child,
Shivers in the cold,
Let us bring him silver and gold,
Let us bring him silver and gold.

Listen! Proclaim! Celebrate! The Christ child is the goodness and the light and the hope that our world seeks! Make Him Known! Declare His Greatness! Share the Good News! Enjoy this season to the fullest! Enjoy Our Savior to the fullest! He came to give us life – life abundant! (John 10:10)

Said the king to the people everywhere,
Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace people everywhere.
Listen to what I say!
The child, the child,
Sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light!

This Christmas season may you look and see. Listen and hear. Seek Him and know Him. Proclaim and celebrate the goodness and light He alone can bring!

Ever had that dream where you feel like you’re falling to your death and you jerk and wake yourself up? Me too. Scary dream. It leaves your heart pounding.

What’s even worse is when you have one of those wide-awake, real life moments that leave your heart pounding: sudden bad news, abandonment, a train wreck happening in your life. You feel like you’re in an endless fall. You can’t see the bottom. And it seems that the adrenalin-inducing situation will never end – or worse, will end in catastrophe.

When one of those things happens, there’s only one thing to do. Well actually that’s not true. There are several things we could do. We could pitch fit like a three-year-old, cuss out the person causing us pain (that’s “curse” for you non-Southern folks), binge on chocolate, get drunk, pop a pill, or freak out in any number of other personal preference ways. But then we would still be in the same overwhelming situation, plus we would have probably added pain and complications to our situation.

My favorite movie is Apollo 13. And one of my favorite scenes from it occurs after the mission-terminating accident has happened. The 3 astronauts on board the damaged spacecraft are assessing their situation. Tensions are high. They are frightened. Anger and accusations boil over as a result and an argument ensues for a couple of minutes until the mission commander, Jim Lovell, brings it to a halt with this statement:

Jim Lovell: “All right, look, we’re not doing this, gentlemen, we’re not gonna do this. We’re not gonna go bouncing off the walls for the next 10 minutes, because we’re just gonna end up right back here with the same problems!”

Since seeing this movie the very first time, this line has never left me. How often do I find myself in crisis and begin to freak out and bounce off the walls and say or do stupid things that complicate the situation, only to find myself right back in the same place when my anger is spent and my ranting is over? I’ve wasted all that time and energy, and probably increased my blood pressure and aggravated my health all for nothing. When if I reacted as I know is best, I would probably have found a more helpful, peaceful, and God-honoring way of conducting myself that would have left me in a better place emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even physically.

There truly is only one thing to do that will help and not add to our tumultuous situation. That is to turn to The One who can catch us when we’re falling – our Father God. Turn to Him in prayer. Turn to His Word. Turn your heart to meditate on Him. Psalm 91 reminds us…

Psalm 91

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

So the next time you feel yourself falling, turn to The One who can catch us when we’re falling. Then let go and let yourself fall… Fall into Jesus’ arms. Fall at God’s feet in prayer and worship. Fall on the altar in repentance of the sin that may have gotten you into your mess. Fall before the majesty of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the only one who can truly rescue. Then simply trust… God’s got you Girl!

2020 has become known as the year people hate. I’ve heard so many say they are just done with it and if I’m honest, I’ve said the same. This year has also become a year of division. So many choosing sides over one thing or another. It has brought with it much fear, anxiety, anger, and even hate. It’s so easy to get caught up in the emotions and the rhetoric that surrounds this year.

But for the last few months, I have been asking God what it is that he is trying to tell or show me. Knowing that nothing comes to me that isn’t first sifted through the Father’s hands makes me understand that he knew everything that was ahead. The question is, how have I responded to it? Have I been salt and light to this world or have I been a reason for others to turn away? Have I shown Jesus or I have just shown my flesh? A few scriptures the Lord has given me lately are:

Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Proverbs 18:1 An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

And the one that really gets me:

John 13:15  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Have I followed the example Christ gave me? Have I served with humility? Have I been a witness by sharing the good news of Jesus or has my flesh been louder to the world than the love of God? The Lord has been telling me that they are watching, they are seeking. The field is ripe for the harvest, but am I destroying the crop by being rotten fruit?

I love a line in the song from Casting Crowns, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners.” It says, “they don’t know what we’re for, only what we’re against when we judge the wounded. Let’s put down our signs, cross over the lines and love like you did.”

To sum it all up, I pray as 2020 comes to a close and for the rest of my days, that people see Jesus when they look at me. I pray I show love and that I always point others to Christ. May the World know we are Christians by our love.