2012 God

Dear Friends and Family, Here I am again this year bringing you no family news, recipes, cards, ornaments or glitter. As in the last 8 years, I bring you my thoughts of the Christmas story. This year, God is teaching me about His perspective. At first, I thought how sad it was…to send His Son to die. But, this is not an Easter story, it is a Christmas story. It is a story of birth, hope, happiness and rejoicing. So, I thought about a father awaiting the birth of his child. That is what the Christmas story is for God. It is a time of rejoicing and celebration. I wonder if God was thinking about how wonderful it was going to be to watch Jesus grow up, to see His birth, first steps, first words, etc. I looked through the scriptures and saw all the planning and preparation that was made for Jesus’ life. We humans plan things like the nursery, clothes, bottles, etc. But God planned Jesus’ whole life. He had control of Elizabeth and Zacharias. He caused Elizabeth to conceive after being barren for so long. He planned for John, Jesus’ cousin to be born in just the right time. He prepared Mary and Joseph by sending angels to tell them what was going to happen. He prepared a star in the sky and led wise men to see it and understand its significance. He let angels appear to shepherds so they would come and worship Jesus who would be known as the good shepherd. He “sent out announcements” centuries before Jesus was even conceived through prophets who had only a small understanding of what they were prophesying. Every piece, every prophecy, every detail planned out. I never thought about how much thought God put into Jesus birth and life. I knew of the prophecies, John, etc. But I never thought of how much planning and orchestrating it took to get everything to converge and be fulfilled in that one tiny baby. From the beginning of the earth, when Jesus was the “word” to the physical birth of the Savior, God had everything planned. Jesus obediently fulfilled every plan. That got me thinking about how much God must be planning for my own life. I began to think about how I remember times that I have not listened to the Spirit’s leading and went off to do my own will. How disappointing that must be to God. Sometimes it has been rebellion and other times just a lack of listening on my part. Either way, His perfect plan for my life is thwarted by my lack of understanding of the significance in following His will in every little thing. This year I want to be more attentive to God and what He wants from me. What does God want me to buy for whom? Gift giving is something God does every day. This year I will think of that as I give gifts to others. What would God want me to give? I know He wants me to show His love while I shop, drive, give and worship. I can do that in little ways, like picking up things that have fallen off the shelf at the store, helping others, smiling, giving up my place in line, giving to those in need (spiritual need is as important as physical need) and so much more. I will try hard to take time to look around me and see how I can help. Can I show patience and understanding to that slow cashier? Can I say some uplifting things to my co workers? Can I encourage students? Is there some student or co worker for which I need to do something special? May we all be obedient to the will of God and may He richly bless us even when we fail Him. May we love Him like a father and seek Him every minute and fulfill His will for us. May God richly bless you with the gifts He desires to give to you. May you receive peace and grace daily and may they so overflow that others are blessed by the presence of God in you. Have a blessed Christmas that flows into a wonderful new year. Sincerely, Missy, Tim, Tina and Emmalee McCoskey

2011 Revelation

Dear Friend, Again, no family update, pictures, recipes or decorations…But… what God is showing me through my ponderings of the Christmas story. As I sent out my letter last year, my uncle mentioned that I should think about writing my next letter from the perspective of Revelation. I have been pondering that all year. What the Christmas story is, not from Luke or Matthew, but from the Revelation to John. Hmmm. So, here’s the nutshell…As I began to read Revelation, the first thing to hit me was the first 5 words, “ The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” Wow…this really is the Christmas story (and more). Next, 1:3 stood out as referring to Luke 11:28. Both are a warning to heed what is being said. I wonder if I heed what God is telling me. I sometimes get so caught up in my own little world that I think I miss many things God wants me to see. So, I need to focus on what God wants me to heed this Christmas and beyond. Then I began to thumb through Revelation passing up the messages to the churches, the throne, the breaking of the 7 seals in the book, etc. to find the woman. Chapter 12 begins with a description: a “great sign” appearing in heaven of the woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars. (This reminded me of Joseph and his dream in Genesis 37:9 when the sun, moon and 11 stars bowed to him. What is the connection here? I am not sure, but I know God connects all things and the same reference in the beginning of the Bible to connect it to the end is not surprising, just curious and worth pondering.) However, this image of the woman is a stark contrast to the quiet little Mary we see in Matthew and Luke. I wonder if this revelation to John is what God saw when He looked at Mary. I wonder what He sees when He looks at me. Is there a stark contrast between the girl I see in the mirror and the image of me in God’s eye? I wonder what He sees. I wonder what I should be seeing when I look at others. I want to see others through God’s eyes. Next, this woman cries out in the pain of labor, and, another sign appears in heaven. A red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems appears. This image is accompanied by a description of his seemingly great power in which he took out 1/3 of the stars with his tail and threw them to earth. This is quite an image of what I take to be when Satan took 1/3 of the angels in a rebellion against God. Doesn’t this timeline seem mixed up? God…outside time, does not always order things the way we see them. His view is much different than ours. I cannot imagine having events jumbled instead of chronological, and this description is an interesting view of the fact that God is not constrained by time. I know it, but I do not understand it. Perhaps I never will. At any rate, it makes me think of my own jumbled schedule and priorities. Although it may make some sense to me, I wonder what my children think of my own timeline. My own priorities may be jumbled, especially with the busy Christmas season, but God’s are not. If only I would sit at His feet and always do His bidding, in His time and in His way. Now the dragon is standing by the woman so that he can devour the child when it is born. As she gives birth, it is said that He (her child) will rule the nations with a rod of iron. This is curious, since we see Jesus as a kind sacrifice, not ruling with a rod of iron. It made me think of the nails with which He was held to the cross. Were they the iron rod with which He rules? What sacrifice am I making so that His love can flow through me to rule the nations with the iron rod of sacrifice? Next, the baby is caught up to God and to His throne. What in the world does that mean? The woman flees to the wilderness to a place prepared by God where she is nourished for 1260 days. Is this when Mary and Joseph fled to protect Jesus? Or is there something else there also? God is such a God of double meanings that it is sometimes too difficult for my little mind to wrap around His thoughts. Then there is war in heaven, Satan is thrown to earth to contend with the woman and her offspring who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Is this the description of Jesus’ life and death? How Satan contended. Can I expect less for my own life? Why do bad things happen to good people (although there is really on One Good)? Because, Satan is still contending with the offspring of God. So, when it seems that my world is crashing down around me and there is no light and no escape, I must remember that this is the contention that I must expect. But also remember that God prepared a place for Mary to be nourished. He took care of her in the midst of contention, and He will take care of me, because I am His. So, what have I learned this Christmas season? 1. As I heed the Revelation of Jesus Christ, not only to me, but in me, I pray that I can be a blessing to others and that they can see the Revelation of Jesus Christ through me. 2. I need to see others as God sees them, not from my own little perspective. 3. I need to sit at Jesus’ feet and always do His bidding, in His time and in His way. 4. I need to seriously look at what sacrifice I am making so that His love can flow through me to rule the nations with the love of the iron rod of sacrifice. 5. I need to remember that God will take care of me even though I am in constant contention with Satan. Please consider this Christmas season and listen to what God is teaching you. He wants us all to listen, obey, love and care for others. How can you do this right now? What is He calling you to do? Can you take time to read some of the Christmas story and get out of it what God is telling you today? May you be blessed and highly favored this season. May God pour rich blessing on you and your family so that the constant overflow fills the world with His love through you. May we all have the Peace promised in every moment of every day. Merry Christmas, Missy, Tim, Tina and Emmalee

2010 Mary

Dear Friend, I want to again share with you my personal Christmas tradition; not of recipes and decorations, family and photos, but a tradition of listening to God and seeing something new tucked away within the Christmas story. This year God called me to it before my usual time of reading, pondering and praying about the Christmas story. As I reached for my computer early one morning, God stopped me and told me it was time to read the Christmas story and find a new nugget to share. I put away my laptop and picked up my Bible. As I asked God which to read, Matthew or Luke, He guided me to Luke. As I read, several things popped out to me, but the most interesting was Mary’s response. I have written about it before, but this year I got a new perspective on it. When Gabriel first appears, Mary is greatly troubled, disturbed and confused. The angel tells her not to be afraid. I suppose troubled and disturbed could be fear, but it almost seems as if Mary was just trying to figure out what this was all about. I wonder if this was her first encounter with an angel. It seems there were lots of angel appearances back then. Gabriel says you “will” become pregnant and give birth to a Son. Then, Mary asks how that can be since she has never “been” with a man. This is curious, since she is engaged and Gabriel uses the word “will” become instead of “are.” Why didn’t Mary think that she and Joseph would be the parents in the future? This must be a translation problem. It makes me wonder if Mary was already pregnant. Had the Holy Spirit already come upon Mary? Did Gabriel really say that Mary was already pregnant with the Messiah? Did she ask how that could possibly be since she was a virgin? Did he respond that it was the work of the Holy Spirit? It seems that this may be the case. At any rate, Mary responds that she is the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done. This was amazing to me that she thought she had a choice. I wonder if she really did have a choice or not. Gabriel does not seem to be asking, but telling. What if Mary would have said, “No, I am not up for that challenge”? I choose to marry Joseph and live a normal life. I will not be the mother of the Savior. What would have happened? Would God have done it anyway? Would He have chosen someone else? Would He have not sent Jesus after all? Mary’s simple sentence that complied with God’s will made all the difference in my life, today. When God shares His will with me, how does my compliance (or non compliance) affect the world? Is it presumptuous to think that my actions affect the whole world? I have seen tiny things make a large difference and huge things seem to not affect anything. I think we can never know how each thing we do or say may change the future. This makes it imperative that we always comply and obey God’s will. This year, we need to listen to the still small voice. We need to hear, heed and obey the voice of God in our lives. If you hear the voice, obey it. If you do not hear it, take the time to start listening. Hearing God is one of the most fulfilling things in life. If only it could always be as easy as it was for Mary (the hearing part, not the obeying). If an angel could show up and speak plainly to us, that would be so wonderful. However, God doesn’t always work that way. Mostly we have to take time to listen. When we start listening, His voice is so much easier to pick out and hear without as much effort. I pray that I can listen and hear God. I pray that my heart will have the attitude to obey. I pray that I will be pleasing to God as Mary was. May we all listen this Christmas season and obey in the small things. May we let someone in front of us in line at the store. May we help someone who needs it. May we open doors for one another. May we pick up that piece of paper and put it in the trash. May we truly be Jesus to the world in all the small ways. So that we may be the avenue through which some hear of Jesus and accept the call. Have a Blessed Christmas, Missy, Tim, DJ, Tina and Emmalee missymccoskey@yahoo.com (Please email me so I can add you to my email address book.)

2005-2009

2004 Shepherd/Wisemen View