• Advent…In the Waiting

    ByLauren Christian, Christmas, Faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joy, trusting God
    22 Comments
    Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

    As I write this, I am one week removed from another surgery.  This one was much easier than any of last year’s adventures in medicine, but I still need to take it easy.  I have at least one more week of waiting until I can drive, work, or exercise.  I wait…for incisions to heal, for energy levels to rebound and for things to return to “normal”.

     

    During this unexpected “gift” of stillness, I’m using and studying a scripture writing plan.  It begins with the Old Testament prophesies concerning Jesus and ends with…well, the month isn’t over yet…but I wrote today of the angel appearing to Mary In Luke chapter 1 to tell her of the Messiah’s coming and her part in it.

     

    Advent.  Not just waiting, but expectant waiting.  That means hope.  There are promises fulfilled at the end of the waiting.  The Christmas season commemorates the arrival of that hope.  The Savior of the world was born as a baby.  One of His names, Emmanuel, means “God with us.”  He came to be one of us, to be with us, to serve us, to love us and to save us.  But Christmas not only observes this most blessed event, it also celebrates that this child once born in Bethlehem is still with us now.  When we believe in His power and plan to save us from our own sin and the darkness of the world, He abides within us in the form of the Holy Spirit.

     

    And the rescue story continues.  Jesus came, He lives, and He is coming to earth again.  When He comes the 2nd time it will be to defeat the powers of evil once and for all.  It’s not an easy concept to understand, but it’s true.  And it’s my hope. 

    There would be no reason to celebrate the birth of this baby if He simply came and left us here to languish on this hard and painful earth and die a pointless death of decay. Praise God He didn’t.

    Click To Tweet
    He triumphed over sin and death and gives us a way to do the same by simply believing in Him.  And for those who believe, we celebrate His first coming.  His birth in a manger.  And we wait for his 2nd coming.  We wait expectantly through surgeries and pain and joy and grief and loneliness and loveliness.  This world is a mixed bag, but one day He will banish tears and sorrow and sin for good.  Oh praise Him!

     

    The hymn that my heart keeps singing today is “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”  I sing in celebration of all my Savior has done for me, for all that He continues to do in my life today, and for all the glory I will see in his second coming.  “Rejoice!  Rejoice!”

     

    Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”, which translated means, “God with us.”  Matthew 1:22-23 NASB 

  • 2018 in Review – or Our Christmas Newsletter

    ByLauren Christian, Christmas, Dravet Syndrome, Jesus, special needs
    16 Comments

    One of my favorite TV specials to watch every year is Barbara Walter’s 10 most fascinating people of the year.  It’s so entertaining to see the year’s biggest events replayed through interviews with key players.  And while I feel certain that no one in my family will ever make that list (well, maybe Chandler has a shot), I thought my annual Christmas letter might be more fun through a similar lens.  Therefore I present to you:  The Sparks’ Family’s Top 10 most fascinating facts of the year – even if we are playing fast and loose with the word fascinating.

     

    10.  Chuck now works as the Chief Operating Officer for a company called Strategic Government Resources, and will transition from Board President for the Epilepsy Foundation of Dallas/ Ft. Worth to the same position on the state board.

    9.  I just had another surgery.  Wasn’t thrilled to be facing that again so soon, but grateful that it is not really cancer-related.  Maybe just cancer adjacent.

    8.  Shelby had a minor heart surgery that did not work but is still as healthy as can be expected and ended up accepted into the drug trial we were pushing for last year.

    7.  Allie is in her last year of middle school, singing in two school choirs, became a student council officer and made her volleyball club’s select team!

    6.  Shelby graduated from high school and started the transition program at our sister school.   She also now participates in music and rec therapy.

    5.  Chuck and I endured the process for becoming Shelby’s legal guardians and continue to work setting up other programs and processes for her now that she is 18.  Her adulthood is one learning curve after another in the school of life.

    4.  The four of us took a trip to California in October and got Shelby to see the big mouse himself at Disneyland.  A good time was had by all.

    3.  Chuck and Allie finally got to go on a life-changing mission trip to Honduras where they worked alongside Orphan Outreach with at risk children.  As a result of this and her service at church, Allie believes she wants to be a children’s minister some day.

    2.  We proudly watched Chandler graduate from medical school and be commissioned as a Captain in the United States Air Force.  Then we, a tiny bit begrudgingly, watched him move his bride and our 4 grandchildren to O’Fallon, Illinois for his medical residency.  If you didn’t catch it, our Chandler is a doctor!

    And the #1 most fascinating Sparks family fact of the year is…

    We remain so grateful for you, our family and friends, and to our God and Savior Jesus Christ for the unbelievable gift of His grace.

     

    Merry Christmas!

    Click To Tweet