The Resolution Rebellion

Our fun-lovin' grandgirl at three
2010ish

"God creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." (Eph. 2:10 The Message)





I, Jill Watson Glassco, of Birmingham, Alabama, on this 30th day of December in the year of our Lord two-thousand sixteen, do hereby resolve from this day forward to abstain from New Year's resolutions. 

The said party, being of sound mind, resolves, determines, earnestly intends, in lieu of New Year's Resolutions for 2017, to seek the new year's God-assignments in their stead and for each subsequent year after as long as the said party shall live.

Join the soon-to-be-broken New Year's Resolution Rebellion and seek God for your 2017 assignments. God has special work all ready for you to do!

May God bless you, beloved, for following Wonderful Family Storybooks Blog throughout 2016. Happy trails to you until we meet again next year....

Read more...

Ordered Steps

Ruth and Frankincense
(a new storybook-in-the-making)

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way." (Psalm 37:23)

For months, I've slaved over Secrets of Shiloh - rewriting an expanded edition of my second Christian children's book, when what to my wondering eyes should appear... 

New characters filled with such cuteness and pep, 

That I knew in a moment God was reordering my steps. 

So - republication of Shiloh now sits on the back burner, and Ruth and Frankincense, A Christmas Story is simmering in the possibility pot.

In the Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas presumably were headed to Asia when the Holy Spirit redirected their steps to Phrygia and Galatia. Then while headed north for Bithynia, the Spirit of Jesus once again did not allow them to go. Instead, the evangelists for Christ traveled to the seaport of Troas.

I've heard it said that God is our co-pilot. Not! God's the pilot. Beloved, allow His Spirit to turn you any which way but loose!

Read more...

Welcome Home, Dear Ruth

Frank and Ruth Achenbach
1993

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that  when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died...so encourage each other with these words." (1 Thess. 4:13-14,18)

This morning, I learned that my dear Ruth died Monday - a long-time, faithful, 90-year-old friend that loved and prayed for my family and me like no other! Our sad loss. Her great gain. Ruth is home with Jesus.

Musician Bob Snyder once said, "Our destination is home with our Father in heaven. It is so easy on this journey to lose sight of our destination and to focus on the detours of this life instead. This life is only the trip to get home."

What's your destination? Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me"  (John 14:6). Believe on Jesus, beloved! Become a citizen of heaven, where the Lord Jesus lives (Phil. 13:20a).

Read more...

Imagine That

Big Oak Treehouse
Coosa River Farm

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Cor. 2:9)

Doc, the gnome, lives in a knothole high up in our big oak tree at the Coosa River farm.

Yesterday, "Mrs. Willowkins" picked up Doc from the knothole...

and lo and behold, discovered two of Doc's patients - a little, brown field mouse and a speckled tree frog nestled all snug in their knothole beds. Imagine that!

(Is another Willowkins family storybook in the air - or in a tree?)

Beloved, keep those peepers, ears, and mind open to the wonderful things God has prepared for your 2017!

Read more...

Wise Men Still Seek Him

our great-nephew

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.'" (Matthew 2:1)

Over hill over dale, we traveled 400 miles north last weekend to watch our little wiseman and hear his one liner in the children's Christmas program at their church.

The Christmas story magi of Matthew chapter 2, according to Answers in Genesis, most probably referred to a class of Persian wise men, and possibly priests, who were interpreters of special signs, particularly in astrology. The Bible states they came from the East - likely Babylon and ancient Persia. 

The magi presumably had access to the Hebrew Scriptures because they knew the promises of the coming Messiah. When Messiah's star appeared in the heavens ("...A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel..."(Numbers 24:17), the wise men traveled afar in search of the Holy Child.

Beloved, be a wise man or woman. "Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near."  (Isaiah 55:6)

Smile for the day:

What was the wise men's occupation when they weren't star-gazing? 

(Answer: They were firemen. After all, the Bible does say they came from  a "far." Ho Ho Ho!)

Read more...

Testimony

Our Rebecca's family
Advent Candle service 2016

"And they have defeated [Satan, the one who accuses them before our God day and night] by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives even when faced with death." (Rev. 12:11)

My preparations for a Bible study of Revelation for spring small group semester have caused me to ponder, "How does a testimony defeat Satan?"

Personal testimonies of how one came to Jesus are a common occurrence in Christian church services. The backstories before  Christ are as different as chalk and cheese, but the tale of rescue is the same for every soul: saved by God's grace and cleansed by Jesus' blood.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Eph. 2:8)

"...Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth...loves us and released us from our sins by His blood." (Rev. 1:5)

Therefore, 

"Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the One who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword [or Satan]?...But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:33-37)

No backstory is too sordid to trump God's grace and the blood of the Lamb. Come to Jesus by faith, beloved. Eternal life conquers the devil of darkness.

Read more...

Believe

Santa, Ben, Gabbi, and our little munchkins

Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me." (John 14:1)

 

This morning, I confessed to God my sins of fret and worry over  someone far from Him.

"Jill, walk by faith, not by sight," He replied through 2 Cor. 5:7.

Oswald Chambers said, "Faith based on experience is not faith; faith based on God's revealed truth is the only faith there is."

Got a "believe" ornament hanging on your Christmas tree? Attach "believe" to Jesus, beloved, not ol' St. Nick!

Read more...

Brokenhearted

Our sweet little  great nephew

"...the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent Me to bind up brokenhearted and to proclaim freedom to the captives...to comfort all who mourn...giving them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair..." (Isa. 61:1-3)

When our great nephew's first grade teacher recently called on him to answer an arithmetic problem, he gave the wrong answer. His classmates laughed; he cried.

"I had to go see the school nurse," he told his mother later.

"Why did you have to see the nurse?" she asked.

He replied, "Because it broke my heart."

Around 700 B.C., the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, foretold the coming of the Holy-Spirit-anointed Servant, who would comfort the brokenhearted, set captives free, transform ashes to beauty and despair to praise - a prophecy of Jesus Christ Himself.

Brokenhearted, beloved? In despair? In sorrow? Or suffering? Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace!

Read more...

Piper

Piper swinging in the grandboy's unmentionables

"Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep!" (Luke 15:6)

Building on yesterday's post, a Christmas tradition around Rebecca's house is Piper - a little, brown, mischievous lamb.

Across cold, December nights, Piper gets into trouble while children are nestled all snug in their beds, and every December morning, the wee ones search for their mischief maker. 

A few nights ago, the little lamb decorated their Christmas tree with unmentionables, and last night, she got into the gift paper and bows:

Nonetheless, every late Christmas Eve, Piper, without fail, finds her way to the manger to adore Christ, the Child, the newborn King.

O come let us adore Him, beloved, Jesus Christ, the King of kings!

Read more...

Oh, You Better Watch Out

Our littlest grand and Santa

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isa. 9:6)

One of three of our children's households "believes" in Santa, whereas the other two don't. Personally, I have no problem with ol' Saint Nick representing the true spirit of Christmas: giving.

For once upon a midnight clear, God so loved the world that He gave His Son, Jesus, born as a babe in Bethlehem that whosoever believes on Him will inherit eternal life. 

And Jesus, though He was God, gave up His divine privileges, took the humble position of a slave, and in obedience to God, died a criminal's death on a cross to pay for your sins and mine.

Jesus rose again.

Ascended into heaven.

Sat down at the right hand of God.

Oh, you better watch out, beloved! He's coming back when heaven and nature sing:

Joy to the world! The Lord is come.

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart 

Prepare Him room...

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love!1

1 JOY TO THE WORLD. Isaac Watts, 1719.

Read more...

Angels in Action

"Angel" by our nine-year-old grandgirl

"...In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back...Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty - the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.'" (Rev. 4:6-8)

Our nine-year-old grandgirl is quite the budding artist. A unique feature about her drawings is that they often portray action. (Notice the "movement" of her angel's hands and skirt in the sketch above.)

In Scripture, I've yet to find an angel floating around on a cloud doing nothing. The Bible book of Hebrews describes them as servant spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation. 

In  Old Testament Daniel, angel Michael wars against the prince of Persia. In the gospel of Luke, angel Gabriel announces the coming Messiah. In Revelation, myriads of myriad, and thousands upon thousands of angels lift their voices in worship to Jesus, the King of kings:

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive

power and riches and wisdom and might and honor

and glory and blessing!"

Let's learn a lesson from the angels, beloved. Don't be idol. Jump into action. Care for people and praise Jesus, the everlasting Prince of Peace.

Read more...

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Oldest grandboy as "Professor Gabriel"

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Phil. 4:8)

We traveled to the brrr-willy midwest this past weekend to visit kids and grands, and these were a few of my favorite things: 

• Sitting around the table in a warm kitchen playing Skip-Bo with the grands and watching the snow fall
• With a fire in the fireplace, snuggling under blankets with the grands watching Polar Express and eating two huge bowls of popcorn
• Attending church with our kids and grands, watching them light the Advent candle, listening to our nine-year-old grandgirl read Scripture to the congregation, watching our eleven-year-old grandboy play the part of Professor Gabriel and sing his first solo, and watching the seven-year-old grandboy sing his heart out with all the hand motions.

So, beloved, the next time the dog bites, the bee stings, or you're feeling sad, simply remember the true, the honorable, the right, the pure, the lovely, the admirable, the excellent and worthy-of-praise things, and then you won't feel so bad!

Read more...

Scattered

My Phillip and me
Christmas 1972

"...to those who reside as strangers,  scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: may grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure." (1 Peter 1:1-2)

5 week holiday forecast: 90% chance of scattered blog posts due to an incoming front of fun places to go and fabulous people to see causing occasional missed devotions here and there. 

I believe it's safe to assume that many of you will also be scattered about the globe as you join family and friends to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In his first epistle, the apostle Peter addressed the church scattered across Asia Minor or present-day Turkey - not in celebration, however, but under the oppressive persecution of Nero's Roman Empire. 

Amidst their suffering, Peter reminded fellow believers that God had caused them to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead, who protected them by His power through faith. Therefore, they could greatly rejoice. Even though distressed by many trials, their precious, tested faith would result in the praise and glory and honor of Jesus Christ at His revelation.

In celebration and suffering, beloved, may we rejoice in the living hope that we are born again through faith in our resurrected King. May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure!

Hail the heaven born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings

Risen with healing in His wings

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die

Born to raise the sons of earth

Born to give them second birth

Hark the herald angels sing

"Glory to the newborn King!" 1

1 HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING. Charles Wesley, 1739.

Read more...

Christmas Memories

Our staircase

"These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me...with the voice of joy and thanksgiving." (Psalm 42:4)

A couple of nights ago, I was thumbing through my mother's recipe box and came across a Christmas treasure - my mother-in-law's recipe for peanut brittle with a note she'd written to my mother in the 1970s thanking her for a Christmas wreath and homemade candle. 

Mrs. Glassco's peanut brittle, Mother's candles, and those two, beautiful mothers are all treasured, Christmas memories.

Make treasured memories, beloved, as you celebrate Jesus this Christmas season.

Read more...

Gatlinburg Wildfire Relief Shop

Bluff Illustration from The Schoolhouse
by talented artist Cami Monet Webb

"Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." (Gal. 6:2)

Six years ago, we traveled to Gatlinburg, Tennessee in search of an artist to illustrate The Schoolhouse and, with God's help, found Cami Monet Webb - a talented, young watercolor artist, calligrapher, and stationery designer. 

Cami, now married and based in Orlando, Florida, grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee on Morning Glory farm. After the recent, devastating wildfires ravaged her hometown, she started the Gatlinburg Wildfire Relief Shop, and to my delight, the bluff scene from The Schoolhouse is one of the beautiful watercolor prints (the "pray for Gatlinburg" heart) available.

All proceeds from these print sales go directly towards helping evacuees and those who have lost everything. Check out the shop, beloved, and share the burden for Christ's sake.  

Visit:   Camimonet.com

Read more...

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Small Group Christmas Party

"That night there were shepherd staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them..." (Luke 2:8-9)

Fall Bible Study ended last night with a fun-filled, all-inclusive Christmas party with Christmas dinner, Christmas cookies, Christmas games, Miss Tackiest Christmas Sweater pageant, decorating the Christmas tree, and Silent Night, a Christmas carol. It goes without saying, that around my house, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

On the first Christmas so long long ago, snowman cookies and tacky sweaters weren't in picture. Instead, a newborn babe in a smelly barn, heavenly hosts caroling frightened shepherd in the fields, and the radiant glory of the Lord adorned the night that God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). 

May we always remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and may you have yourself a merry, Christ-filled Christmas, beloved!

Read more...

Join the Triumph of the Skies

Sweet baby Meredith in her mother's loving arms

"And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. Mary gave birth to her firstborn Son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn." (Luke 2:6-7)

After PDA surgery, rounds of steroids, and a plethora of prayers, baby Meredith has turned the corner. She's now a whopping 4 lbs. 5 oz. and continues to have good reports. Praise You, Lord Jesus, from whom all blessings flow!

And praise You, Lord Jesus, that 2,000 some odd years ago, though You are God, You did not think equality with Father God as something to cling to. Instead, You gave up Your divine privileges; You took the humble position of a slave and You were born as a tiny baby boy. 

When You appeared as man, You humbled Yourself in obedience to Father God and died a criminal's death on a cross. There, He highly exalted You to the place of highest honor and gave You the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:6-11).

Hark the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the newborn King"

Peace on earth, and mercy mild

God and sinners reconciled

Joyful all ye nations rise

Join the triumph of the skies

With angelic host proclaim,

"Christ is born in Bethlehem"

Hark the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the newborn King!" 1

1 HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SING. Charles Wesley, 1739.

Read more...