Author Christmas Memories: Sheila Wray Gregoire

In the month ahead, we'll be featuring Christmas memories from your favourite Canadian Christian authors!

When my daughter Rebecca was almost three we had our last encounter with true Christmas innocence. As the family gathered around the tree, Grandpa handed her a gift. She was thrilled. And then Grandpa tried to give her another package. Looking confused, she protested, “but I already have a present.” She didn’t know more were coming, and she was grateful for what she had.

That was then. This is now. Her younger sister Katie never experienced that innocence because she had a big sister telling her about the haul they were about to get.

To try to combat this we have instituted the “Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh” principle. Each child gets a Gold gift—something they want. And they get the Frankincense gift—something they need. But finally they get the Myrrh gift—something to help them grow spiritually. And that’s it.

And I pray that as they start to think more about the meaning of Christmas, and not the greed of Christmas, we can recapture that look of pure bliss on Rebecca’s face just to be remembered. For God remembered us, and I hope we never forget it.

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Sheila Wray Gregoire is the author of four books, including "To Love, Honor and Vacuum: When you feel more like a maid than a wife and a mother."

What do you want out of life?

What a BIG question!
What a GREAT question! What do you want out of life?

I recognize that my daily actions answer it whether I’ve consciously considered it or not. My actions and behaviours are what demonstrate what is most important to me. I can SAY that family or God is most important, but if I am spending more time and energy on career or ministry or whatever else steals my focus, I need to remember, “Actions speak louder than words.” A lot louder!

The good news is that once I become aware of the question, I can choose to give a different answer – not only through what I say, but what I do and how I choose to respond. So, what DO I want out of life? I want to invest my God-given talents, gifts, skills and abilities to help other people discover and invest theirs. I believe that God has FILLED us with potential (we are made in the image of God!!) and I am passionate about helping to unleash it…for the glory of God. (Hold me back – I’m getting worked up here!).

I have a favourite quote on my website that really sums it up for me. It’s from Viktor Frankl, a concentration camp survivor (which makes the quote all the more powerful). He says, “Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life…Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.” Now here’s my paraphrase, “You are unique. God made you for a purpose and there’s no one else who can take your place.”

What if you REALLY believed that – from the top of your head to the tip of your toes? What impact would it have on your life?

~ Wendy

Are there any tree climbers out there? Luke 19:1-10 records the story of Zaccheus' move up the trunk.

Climbing trees did not happen every day in Zaccheus' life but this day it was necessary. Not only could he see Jesus from the height of the tree but his nest made him visible as well. As Jesus looked up and saw him he said, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." Thirteen words spoken by the master took only seconds to speak. Fortunately Zaccheus responded to Jesus’ instruction and he entered the discussion. Verse 8 says And Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much."

Notice how his selfish interests came full circle during that short conversation with Jesus. It was worth all the effort of skinned shins for he never lived the same way after that.

You may not have to climb a tree to get into a life changing conversation, for they often happen unexpectedly, but it's good to be on the watch for those words that can change your life.

An old Chinese proverb states: A single conversation across the table from a wise person is worth a month's study of books.

Even though it wasn't table talk for the wee man and Jesus, I'm sure Zaccheus would agree with that proverb.

When have you had a conversation that changed your life? Was it unexpected?

~ Ruth

How is God developing your character?

“We have to learn to trust God!” Her tone was emphatic as she challenged me to stop the worry-talk and trust God. My Mother at 82 has served Jesus since her birth! Her life-story is filled with incredible challenges, heartache and strange twists and turns yet the not-destroyable rope weaved throughout her story is her faith - simple, uncomplicated, and child-like.

Through the years, I have often sought her counsel. She has her strong opinions of what should and should not be done, but the bottom line is always the same: “We have to learn to trust God!”

Learning to trust God is a two-way street. Through life, we are learning to trust God but He is also testing us to see if we are able to let go and trust Him, not just half-heartedly but totally and fully!

My worry-points have been many and varied –from the ridiculous to genuine and real concerns. I’ve worried if a parking ticket mailed in at the post office would get lost in the mail and I would be doubly fine or worse yet, get arrested! I’ve walked miles working through stress-filled-worry kind of praying trying to build up my faith and believe that my house would sell in a season when the buyers were scarce and we were strapped into a short selling time. When I found myself in a Montreal hospital in a life-threatening tubal pregnancy and facing immediate surgery, I worried.

It’s only as I’ve looked back on my faith-growing journey that I clearly see, I worried far too much. “Learning to trust God” has been a long process and the one “its-taken-forever to-learn” lesson that has developed my character the most.

One of my Bible heroes is the little boy who gave Jesus his lunch. Five thousand men plus women and children gather to hear Jesus. It’s lunch time – a panic moment – because there is no place to buy the amount of bread they need and it would cost a small fortune to feed such a crowd – money they did not have. Philip is stressed, Andrew gets silly and points to a little boy with a lunch that would at best nourish 3 normal-sized appetites. Jesus takes over.

He asks everyone to sit down, takes the small five barley loaves and two fishes and holds up the problem and resources on hand, to His Father and prays. What a glorious day to witness God at work and see more and more lunch appear to feed every last man, woman and child and then have an astonishing 12 baskets of left-over’s picked up for the community food bank!

How is God developing my character? He is teaching me that worry must not be part of my agenda. I must hold up the problem and the resources I have and give them to Jesus and allow Him to take over and do His work. The result is always astonishing even when I have to wait for it. “Trust in the Lord with all you heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” Prov. 3:5

How is God developing your character?

Your friend,
Margaret

Obstacle or Opportunity?

I did not want to do it. I did not want to depend on someone else for support. But friends offered to set up a fundraiser day to help with the finances of an upcoming trip to India. Items for the silent auction, an important part of the day, were very slow coming in. Finally I made up my mind I needed to collect something to put on the auction tables. Humbly, I went to stores I frequented throughout our years in Fergus.

I began a conversation with the owners, telling them briefly what Bob and I would be doing... teaching, speaking and providing music for Christian leaders in India, Nepal and Thailand. Their interest piqued and they began to ask questions. A conversation ensued. Before I knew it I had an armload of beautiful gifts to set out on the auction tables.

In spite of the awkwardness I felt at the beginning, it turned out to be a very enriching experience. The week following the event (which included a car rally, pig roast, live music and silent auction), not only did I return to each business place with a thank you but the occasion gave rise to an opportunity to write the local paper commending the generosity of businesses in the area.

Often the obstacles in our lives lead to opportunities that might otherwise not been possible. Can you think of a time when you faced an obstacle head on and through it you encountered an unexpected advantage?

Judges 4:1-23 records an unusual account of opportunity offered to Deborah the prophetess.
Read it and look for the many details that made the occasion possible. Were these coincidences? If not, how can you explain the perfect timing?

To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions. ~ Benjamin Franklin

When have you seen God turn an obstacle into an opportunity in your life? Could there be one right now?

Ruth