Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Christmas Story---A Message Of Hope.


 Christmastime Greetings dear Friends and Family
2012
*****
The anticipation of Christmas celebrations and traditions become a little sweeter with each passing year.   Perhaps it is growing older and wiser that allows me to see with a greater precision, and hold in my heart a little more deeply, the MESSAGE OF HOPE given to us at Christmastime-------(Luke 2).

If you have  been a long time recipient of my newsletter, you know the great care and thought that goes into selecting “just the right theme”,   a theme that both summarizes a bit of our lives, and brings to you a special Christmas blessing all in one.   2012 has been a remarkable journey of thankfulness, 1000 gifts in all.   Well, almost.  Recent reflections upon my list (projected to be complete by December 31st) allowed me to see at a glance, the incredible richness that 12 short months can hold.   So it is, through bits and pieces of that treasured list, that I share another year in the life of our family with you. 

*****    

*Sitting by the fire with lifelong friends, sharing deep, thought provoking conversation about life’s joys and sorrows, until the wee hours of the morning greet us.
*A beautiful neighborhood, perfect for taking long walks.
*The amazing people we get to meet every single day, the lives we get to touch.
*Our church family and the camaraderie with good pastor friends and families.
*Moments that keep us real, keep us grounded, and keep us thankful.
*Outrageous laughter at the dinner table and sometimes a quiet evening of reflection.
*Growing personally and professionally.  
*The fruit of yesterday’s labor, returning to bless. 
*Studying chemistry with Matt, taking him for his drivers permit, and hearing his name called for the MVP of his high school baseball team.
*A midweek train ride to New England that yields quality time with Sarah and visiting relatives.  Proofreading the countless essays that go along with an English/Journalism major, and splurging on cinnamon lattes during a cold rainy day.
*Fears and uncertainties that drive us to our knees---together.
*Kitchen table opportunities, Boardroom opportunities, and expressions of love that come in all shapes and sizes. 
*The ability to embrace the mundane or to create new and fresh (they both have their place).
*Seeing the deeper things of God taking root in our lives.
*The gift of a husband’s love and the 1000 ways he shows it after 21 years together.
*The grit and honesty it takes, being a trailblazing family—never a dull moment.
*Those parts of the journey that seem bleak, they show us what we are really made of.
*Enough good books and enough good friends to last a lifetime.
*Gardening…..a family affair.
*Tiny glimpses of God’s infinite power.
*The privilege of accompanying Rick as he opens a PA Senate Session in prayer.
*A stroll through Central Park , reflections at Ground Zero and other NYC sights.                                                                                                                                           Manhattan at Christmastime---nothing in the whole world like it.
*Joy unspeakable.
And last, but very far from least, Rick’s very own weekly version of “Tuesday’s with Morrie”.  He calls it Tuesday’s with Morris---- you know, those relationships and little day to day moments that really count for the big stuff.

****    

Just as thankfulness has been written upon my heart these past 12 months, may the MIRACLE OF CHRISTMAS and its MESSAGE OF HOPE be written upon your hearts---both now, and forevermore.

Rick, Crystal, Sarah and Matthew Steimling

Thursday, November 22, 2012

A DAY OF THANKSGIVING--A YEAR IN THE MAKING

I applaud the many folks who have committed to an intentional list of thankfulness for the month of November.    2012 has been a YEAR of documented gratitude for me.   On track to reach 1000 gifts of thankfulness by December 31,2012,   it has been an exercise that has refined me, that has tried me, that has  made me a new person --- better, more complete, and more THANKFUL!

THANKSGIVING HAS A WAY OF MAKING PROPER, OUR PERSPECTIVE.
AND....PROPER PERSPECTIVE FILLS LIFE WITH RICHNESS THAT OVERFLOWS!

I printed out my list this week and took the time to read back over each and every gift and reason for the gratitude within (825 thus far).   A year in review simply stated = my cup runneth over.    As we gathered around an intimate table of Thanksgiving celebration today, (we kept it simple this year due to Rick's knee surgery) and will later gather with extended family for all the sweets and treats of Thanksgiving, no one can deny HIS goodness in our lives.

As we celebrate, as you celebrate, may we do so by giving thanks with a grateful heart; for a grateful heart is the source of thanks giving!

CRYSTAL   

Friday, November 2, 2012

A Friday Night Party of Unusual Sorts, On The Road to 1000 Gifts.


734.   Countless cups of hot tea....soothes my oh so sore throat.
735.   Scheduled days off to recover.  (at least timing was on my side) 
736.   Safety in the storm and no power outages.
737.   The 3 other people living in the 4 walls of this house....golly they are amazing!
738.   That (evil) little white pill, prednisone.....ahhhh, I can breath.
739.   Leftover trick-or-treat candy.  
740.   Puffs Plus!  An absolute necessity for this sore nose. 
741.   Strength to get my chores done.  (If I have to be sick, I want a clean house)
742.   Throat lozenges....yellow, red and white (because variety is important)
743.   A night of sleep, uninterrupted by coughing.   On the mend?   
                                  
                                   NOT SO QUICK! 

744.   A relapse today leaves me no other option.   A Friday night party of unusual sorts.  

As I reflect on my growing list, I am most thankful for--

745.  The gratitude in my heart that flows freely and abundantly on most days, but also, those every now and again days that require me to dig really deep to find it.   

Crystal

















Saturday, September 29, 2012

EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE, IN ALL THINGS, EVERYDAY.

Recent studies have concluded that expressions of gratitude can have profound and positive effects on our health, our moods and even the survival of our marriages.  A growing body of research also shows that gratitude is truly amazing in its physical and psychosocial benefits. 

We don't have to look far for reasons to despair.   However, in cultivating a sense of genuine gratitude in ALL things (1 Thess. 5:18), life gets better not just for us, but for everyone around us.  

I began my own "intentional" journey of gratitude almost one year ago, while reading  One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp, with my daughter Sarah (a gift in itself).

With each passing day my list grows, but at nine months and counting, it has become way more than just "a list"  (and some amateur photography).     It has become a daily reminder to bow my heart in gratitude, finding beauty in the mundane, making the small stuff count for more than the bad stuff, and looking at everything in life with new purpose and a thankful perspective!


673.  The colors of autumn. 

674.  The silver lining in every cloud. 

675.  The wilderness, don't miss it (there's something to be learned there too).

676.  Celebrating new life (with old friends in new houses)  

677.  A perfect autumn day.  

678.  Friendships, birthdays and layered pumpkin cheese cake.  

For another day my sense of well-being leaves me happy, healthy and giving thanks in ALL things. 
May expressions of gratitude do the same for you. 

CRYSTAL



Sunday, September 16, 2012

Apocolyptic Tremors --A BOOK REVIEW



My hunger to better understand the book of Revelation, the end times and current events all wrapped up in one, led me to this book, Apocalyptic Tremors by C R Chapman.   
The writer certainly left me with an appreciation for her willingness to take a hard look at scripture and the desire to “get it right”.   But, her style and format proved difficult at best, and I found myself struggling to maintain interest.    For me it wasn’t about agreeing or disagreeing with everything she wrote, rather, it was about an increased understanding, which I personally was not able to take away.  I would consider Apocalyptic Tremors a good study or commentary resource, but if you are looking for a cover to cover read, probably not.   
Crystal 


Saturday, August 25, 2012

THE NOSTALGIA OF SUMMER'S END

There are few things that stir my sense of nostalgia like the fleeting days of summer.  


610.  Back to school thoughts-  No, there won't be any yellow buses to catch or cute back packs to fill with colorful binders and pencil boxes.   Instead, there are SAT's to schedule, parking passes to purchase (my boy is a junior and will be driving to school before too long) and college tuition bills to consider (my girls is a sophomore in college and working part time).   So Special.....those grade school years were, and foundational to their ongoing growth and successes, but summer's end these days, calls for preparations of a different kind. 

611.   The scent of the late afternoon air in August. 
612.   A field of cat tails. 
613.  The song of the cicada.  
Nothing spells summer's end or awakens the childhood senses more than these.  














614.  A morning in the orchard, picking peaches.
615.  An afternoon in the kitchen and home made treats.. 
616.  Making every moment of these last few lazy days of summer count.  
























617.  The Nostalgia of Summer's End -  makes for great additions to my 1000 gifts list, and even greater reflections........ on all that was and is, and yet to come.  

Crystal   

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Gifts of Thankfulness----Oh So SWEET!

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones--Proverbs 16:24.  

A short, midweek, get-a-way to Baltimore's Inner Harbor, allows for some much needed down time. As friendship is shared,  and pleasant words exchanged...
my list of thankfulness is growing, and with it, plenty of sweetness to go around. 
550.   The lights and sights of the harbor by night. 
551.   Purple dragon boat rides in the harbor by day. 
552.   Hotel vending machines at midnight because the packed box of snacks isn't accessible.   
553.   Conversations highlighting personal growth and rewards, through the rigors of ministry. 
554.   An open-mindedness----- no, it hasn't changed "who" or "what" we are, but rather has shaped "how" we respond to the world around us. 
555.   Moments in life that keep us real...keep us grounded  (usually the less than perfect & humbling).
556.   Savoring "good food" moments in Little Italy (pizza and pastries and gelato galore)      
557.   $6.00 worth of cinnamon Jelly Belly's, oh yeah!
558.   Favor upon a daughter's honesty at a concert ticket booth (not during this trip, but worth noting).  
559.   Kodak moments that define a summer lived to the fullest.                                 
560.  Camaraderie with other pastor friends and their families.


     Pleasant words are a honeycomb--sweet to the soul and healing to the bones---speak them often.   And every now and again, on the way to 1000 gifts of thankfulness --- eat your dessert, FIRST! 
                                                      CRYSTAL

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Unplanned Gifts!!

UNPLANNED GIFTS 

You don't have to know me well, to know I AM A PLANNER.   Planning has been a vital component in multiplying my joys and dividing my sorrows, for the better part of 40 years....and although I won't be  changing that anytime soon, I have a growing appreciation for the UNPLANNED. 
   Most recently, it was physical discomfort and dental necessity that required Sarah to have 4 wisdom teeth extracted.   Although she might have chosen to script her very first college spring break differently, it was the slower pace of recovery, the beauty of springtime and choosing a thankful heart  that yielded "unplanned" additions to our list of 1000 gifts.  

210.  Sleeping with the windows open and white sheer curtains blowing in the breeze.
211.  Curling up on the couch for 4 hours and watching Gone With The Wind.
212.  Taking the entire day off to make sure she ate her applesauce and stayed pain free. 
                                                                    
***
217.  An uneventful course to recovery. 
218.  Matt's first baseball game of the season. (a win)
219.  Sitting in the sun and working in our flower gardens.  

***
221.  Quality time teaching my 18 year old daughter there is more than one way to dry clothes.  (see picture)
Actually, hanging the clothes out to dry, was her idea.  
222.  Blaring music and singing in the car (kids with parents)
223.  The greater gift is that they still love to do it at age 15 and 18.
224.  That feeling of total contentment, special memories made, even while packing to take Sarah back to  college.

Planned or otherwise, gifts are all around.
CRYSTAL

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

To Love and Be Loved

As my "1000 gifts list" continues to grow, I am thankful for the gift of LOVE.....the kind of love that never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:7

The red roses and chocolate covered strawberries reserved for days like these, makes that 1000 gifts list too.  (smiling)  

                           *****
We were all there for one reason...To celebrate our love (ok, and maybe a good Italian meal too).  Valentines Day 2012 marked 22 years since our first one together.   We shared reflections and endearments before shifting our thoughts to so many of those around us.   Couples from every conceivable walk of life filled the tables.  From one end of the restaurant to the other,  I couldn't help but wonder, "what was their story?"    Did love flow easily or require great effort?  Was it intentional and celebrated or did it require sacrifice?   I know our story includes all of the above.  I know God's story includes all of the above.   What about your story?  
Whether Phileo love (brotherly love) or Eros love ( intimate or romantic), it is   Agape love (Christ's love) at work within us  that makes our stories possible.... makes our stories beautiful.  In loving and being loved, may we have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep HIS love really is.    Ephesians 3:18  
                                                Crystal

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Signs of LIFE

It is the chill of winter that lulls the earth to a much needed rest, so too it lulls me.  "Signs of Life" hardly seem fitting for the long days of January.  As snow blankets the earth and naked branches twist heavenward frozen in time, the silence is almost deafening.  
Schedules go on and duty calls, but the EUCHARISTEO kind of thankfulness never ceases.  The 24/7 making of my "1000 gifts" list surely breeds a unique quietness, an authentic "soul-kind-of-rest". 
One, that just like winter....is necessary.  As I humbly yield, signs of life are everywhere, signs of life that run deep.


75.  A dirty kitchen floor.
76.  A few morsels and an empty bag from the chocolate dipped oatmeal cookies.
77.  Lanterns in the window.
78.  The inspired and Holy Word of God that lays open and invites.
79.  A half empty container of peppermint lotion that soothes.
80.  A college-occupied sister, making time for her high school brother.
81.  The random amaryllis bulb out of the trunk of an old car (yields),
82.  A reminder of spring, on a gray winter day (see pictures).

unfolding...thankful...drawing near...growing in grace...thanksgiving...to the core...steadying....focused... preparing....thankful...roots going deep for seasons yet to come. 

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.  For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living...How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.              
PSALM 116:7-13


It won't be long now. The earth will thaw, and even more "signs of life" will awaken to herald the coming of spring.   Won't you be waiting ready.....RESTED and THANKFUL!

                                            
                                                  Crystal

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Daring to LIVE FULLY, right where I am!

For me, LIVING FULLY isn't so much about doing, (deeds and accomplishments) as it is about being (living, being alive)!    As I continue my journey along the road to 1000 gifts, the fullness of life cascades.
#32.  A midweek train ride to New England.
#33.  A view of Manhattan from the cafe' car on Amtrak.
#34.  Quality time with my 18 year old daughter. 

A spontaneously planned trip on Semester Break that began with “doing",  very quickly becomes all about “being”.   
     
#40.  My husband's 50th Birthday Celebration

As friends gathered from near and far,  no one could deny the fruit of his life is more about “being” and less about “doing”.  Pondering how one finds and keeps that necessary balance leads me to...                  


#41.  Wisdom for the way.
#42.  Practical application. 


You see, many important things in life do require doing, but many more of the important things also require being.   As we practically apply wisdom for the way in doing, the natural outflow is being.     
                        
Living Fully, on my way to 1000 Gifts,
Crystal

Monday, January 9, 2012

One Thousand Gifts

The  VALUE  in time spent with a friend, can’t always immediately be calculated.    Such was the case for me a few months back.    Sitting amongst the stately furniture she reads to me…. “One Thousand Gifts beckons you to leave the parched ground of pride, fear, and white-knuckle control, and abandon yourself to the God who overflows your cup.”   Instantly I know it is a MUST READ. 
Not long after arriving back into town, I purchase a copy for myself.   It will surely be the perfect mother-daughter read over Christmas break.  However, in a moment of spontaneous gratitude,  I gift it away to a lifelong friend.  I wonder what One Thousand Gifts will become to her. Christmas is just around the corner now when my sister arrives with shopping bargains in hand.  I am ecstatic to find a copy for me and a copy for her.  What will One Thousand Gifts become to us?
Christmas passes, a New Year dawns and we relish the evenings for reading, my girl and I do.  Almost finished with the book now, One Thousand Gifts is real, it’s deep, eucharisteo, becoming personal.  We are counting our gifts, with gratitude, one day at a time, One Thousand in all.  At the very top of my list….…. The value of time spent with a friend.
Crystal

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

A Celebration of Expectation

It's a New Day....It's a New Year!

I look with careful eyes through  the cluttered markings and ink splotches all over my 2011 calendar.   365 days gone by and a great sense of nostalgia ensues.   The battles fought, the failures tasted, the victories won, the tears of pain and the tears of great joy ready me with wisdom.  Wisdom that will carry me into the 365 days that lie ahead.  
Although I relish the clean, unmarked pages of 2012, they beckon to be filled.   Filled with a life lived full of thanksgiving and purpose, a life lived full of hope and expectation,   A life lived full of wonder and adoration.    
There is something so inspiring about a new day, a new year, a fresh start.  
Just as each new year brings a fresh start----those clean calendar pages, may each new day (all 366 of them this year) bring with it a celebration of expectation for a life lived to the fullest.    

  I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full.             JOHN 10:10

Crystal