Christmas Coffee With A View: Peace on Earth..."as it is in Heaven..."

The Gifts That Keep on Giving

It's hard to believe that it was over two years ago that I slipped on the ice and fell, shattering my wrist and messing up my hip and knee. A few weeks later, as I was healing from wrist surgery, my home office flooded due to a leaking water heater. I had just moved into my new place, and still had things in boxes, including important papers and documents that got wet and were destroyed. A few days later, I slipped again on the stairs outside my back door, compounding the pain in my left leg. Additionally, I was slowly going blind in both eyes due to double and complex cataracts, and couldn't work. Some of whom I thought were my friends and fellow teammates abandoned me. I often wept, drew the curtains closed, and slipped into a depression and despair.

These struggles were enough to want to "curse God and die" (Job 2:9). What use is a blind, crippled woman? What use am I in this world, if I am disabled and cannot work or sustain a living, or volunteer my time in the causes I believe in?

I Will Send My Angels

It was then that God spoke, and His angels showed up.  My aunt and uncle drove me to and sat with me during my doctor's appointments. My neighbors shoveled my driveway. My Tribe came through and provided the referrals, transportation, and accommodations to have the surgeries on both of my eyes; they also provided wonderful physical therapists who set me on the road to healing my hip and knee. My daughter and many friends called, texted, or came to visit and check up on me. One of them even came several times to braid my hair, since I couldn't use my right arm. Both my Tribe and the Riverton Help Center helped me with rent money, food, and household items. Eventually, I was healed and strong enough to search for a job, and one day, my former job at Frontier Ambulance just happened to pop up on my laptop screen.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The past two years have been a lesson in pure Faith, Hope, and Love, and no one can tell me that God was not directing my paths through all of it. When I think that, through my sufferings, I could've chosen a path of unbelief instead of Faith, darkness and despair instead of Hope, or pride instead of receiving the Love and concern of so many...I would have rejected the Love of God that was revealed and gifted through those who cared!

Because of the gift of Love, Light came into my world. Faith and Hope drove me to patience in healing and strength. Encouragement and support came through the actions of those who cared and/or had the resources, no matter how little or great, to lift me up and help me get on my feet again. Talented and meticulous surgeons and physical therapists who understood that my hands, legs, and eyes were my livelihood performed nothing less than a miracle. Messages from so many that showed thoughtfulness and compassion cheered me up and onward. I am able to forgive those who abandoned or trespassed against me. I am grateful for my daily bread, for the blessings of God through the Nouns...the people, places, and things...that have appeared to me as angels on my Journey.

Light of the World

The world is filled with darkness and despair. There are so many who are lonely, abandoned, weak, sick, dying, lame, blind, hurt, frustrated, and angry...who want to "curse God and die." Many are unhoused, poor, can't find a job, have very little food, warmth, or enough money to sustain themselves. Many have lost homes, friends, or family; lost their health and wellness...lost their Faith, or all Hope.

Every Christmas Eve, I watch two movies: Scrooge (the 1970's musical), and It's A Wonderful Life (1946). Each portrays stories of characters who lived in or experienced a world of darkness and despair. (Okay, truth be told, I may also watch Hans fall out of the Nakatomi Plaza building, lol). I watch each of these movies to the very end, even though I already know the endings: Love wins, every time!

Light has come into the world. We celebrate that Light every Christmas season, and our own lights are renewed with Hope in the angelic hosts' message of "peace on earth, goodwill towards men." (Luke 2:14) The greatest gifts given to this world are gifts that money cannot buy, because God is a God of Love (1 John 4:7-12). Living a life of Faith, Hope, and Love is so worth the living because, hey...we already know the ending!

"A new command I give you:

Love one another:

As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

John 13:34

And now, these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love.

But the greatest of these is Love.

1 Corinthians 13: 13

*You can rent Scrooge and It's a Wonderful Life on YouTube.