Beacon of Hope

 by Macy Johnson

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.

If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,”

but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”

(James 2:15-16 NIV)

 

The choir loft was filling for Wednesday night’s rehearsal. Seated at the piano, I was thumbing through the new music from Kathleen, our director, when one of the members came in and announced, “There’s a lady who needs our help.”

The Muffin Pan

 by Macy Johnson

“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

(Isaiah 45:3 NIV)

 

“Do you know the Muffin Man?” The tune to that children’s song swirled in my brain as I made rounds to close up the house for the night. But my words instead were, “Have you seen my muffin pan?”

Special Delivery

by Macy Johnson

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said:

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

(Acts 20:35 NIV)

 

Who doesn’t look forward to a package arrival? Jeff and I were watching a college basketball game late one night when we heard someone at our front door. Several packages were dropped off in the middle of a rainstorm.

Heaven to Earth

 by Macy Johnson

“And she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

(Luke 2:7 NIV)

 

On Christmas Eve I pondered the astonishing fact that the Creator would become the created. Why would He do this? Max Lucado wrote, “If God was willing to wrap himself in rags and drink from a mother’s breast, then all questions about his love for you are off the table.” He was motivated by love for us.

Little Red Truck

 by Macy Johnson

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means, “God with us.”

(Matthew 1:23 NIV)

 

I needed a gift for an ornament exchange party during the Christmas holidays. Miniature gingerbread houses and little red trucks at Hobby Lobby caught my eye. I wrapped the gifts in a festive bag, picked up a friend, and drove to the party held in a beautiful home in the country.

Hark!

 by Macy Johnson

“An angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.”

(Luke 2:9 NIV)

 

It was late afternoon on December 16, 2003. I leaned close to my father’s face as he rested in his bed at Haven of Our Lady of Peace in Pensacola, Florida. He suffered sixteen long years with Alzheimer’s disease. The first ten years he lived at home with Mom as his caretaker. When she could no longer care for him, Daddy was placed in a nursing home. After several relocations, this was his final resting place.

Stay Sharp!

by Macy Johnson

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

(Proverbs 27:17 NIV)

 

My husband and I acquired a set of Global knives when my brother, Robin, owned a high-end kitchen emporium. These knives have served us well for more than a decade. After my husband hand-washes each knife, he sharpens it before placing it on the magnetic rack over our kitchen counter. My favorite kitchen tools are always ready to carve meat or chop vegetables with ease.