We are wrapping up the third week of the Spirit of Christmas series today. My guest is my dear friend, Lynn Morrissey, whom I’ve yet to meet (in)RL. I met Lynn through what can only be explained as an online divine appointment. She entered my life at a time last year when I needed her insight, experience and wisdom. Her gentle spirit and loving heart shine through every word she writes. Enjoy her invitation to let go this Christmas.
I’m sitting on the deck in shorts and a sleeveless blouse on an uncharacteristically warm late- autumn day, while Chevy, poodle-king of the mountain, surveys our three sloping terraces, content to sit quietly until a squirrel skitters by, tempting him to follow. He can’t resist.
A gust of wind tempts the ash tree to shed her leaves. She can’t resist, and a cascade of sun-shot gold showers around her, a pooling lamé peignoir, a sudden denuding, a complete surrender.
I’m undone.
This tree, unlike our umbrageous oaks, whose leaves cling tenaciously, sometimes even after crisping, shriveled on branches, frees her foliage brazenly, willing her leaves to take simultaneous flight. One day, lush leafage shapes her sumptuous silhouette; the next, her bare, angular bones protrude in starkness. She stands unabashedly disrobed. It happens that quickly.
There is so much I need to shed, so much I long to let go, quickly, without thought, without hesitation, without looking back. And yet, year after year, I struggle to shed my leaves. The longer I think about it, the longer I postpone, the more I cling, the more I’m immobilized, the more I’m overwhelmed. I have too many books, CDs, files, photos, unused make-up, outdated clothes—worse yet, too much fear and frenzy, worry and weariness, doubt and discontent, distraction and disorganization—too much left undone like letters to write, calls to place, visits to make, fences to mend. I make half-hearted attempts, or more promisingly, occasional pulled- up-by-my-bootstraps, full-throttled ones, but somehow, somewhere I ease up, disengage, switch gears, and my cumbersome accoutrements and careworn attitudes proliferate again. I’m back to square one.
Baring and paring down … would that this could be my modus operandi like the autumn ash tree’s. Would that I would allow the fresh wind of God’s Spirit to blow through my life, rattle my bones, release my leaves, and relieve my excess—empty all that is decorative, superfluous, trivial, banal, burdensome, sinful. Would that He would strip my soul starkly bare—purged and purified.
It’s nearly Christmas, and isn’t it about emptying? We mistakenly think it’s about filling—filling stockings, filling gift orders, filling schedules, filling stomachs. But what about being filled with God’s Spirit? All that holiday hubbub doesn’t leave much room for Him. We must not quench His Spirit, but strip our soul starkly bare before He can fill it.
When angel Gabriel visited Mary to announce that God had chosen her among women to bear His Son, Mary emptied herself. She emptied herself of her fear, her will, her reputation. When the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary, His will overshadowed hers. She was then filled with trust. She was filled “with child,” and she would give birth to God’s own Son. And, in her fullness, her joy overflowed in song in what some have called the Magnificat: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me … (Luke 1:46b-49).”Mary’s emptying ultimately resulted in rejoicing, blessedness, and great things: Christmas came. The Son of God was born. He would save people from their sins.
And how did He come? Humbly. “Although [Jesus] existed in the form of God, [He] did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond- servant, and being made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:6-7, emphasis, mine).”
And, astonishingly, Jesus’ emptying was so complete that it ultimately resulted in His death: “ … He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:8).”
As we fill our lives this season with the sights and sounds of Christmas, the gaiety and fanfare, the greetings and feasts, the gifts and festivities, may we never lost sight of its significance. Christmas is the prelude to Calvary. Jesus was born to die. Jesus, who is God, existed with God before the foundations of the world which He created. Yet our Lord emptied Himself, relinquishing all His divine prerogatives and surrendered to God’s overshadowing will. He came to earth in the humblest of forms, a baby, and one day humbled Himself in the most humiliating and excruciating of deaths, crucifixion, stripped bare, nailed to that bare tree. He emptied Himself of His very life, to atone for our sins, so that we might live. God, fully satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice, did a great thing and raised Christ on the third day to make possible for us sinners the gifts of forgiveness, salvation, and abundant, eternal life.
If you don’t know Christ, will you empty yourself of your pride, rebellious will—whatever hinders you from confessing your sins—asking His forgiveness, and receiving Him now as Savior and Lord? If you are a Christian, will you empty yourself of your own will and ask Him to fill you with His? Will you empty yourself of any lingering sin and shed any barrier you’ve erected between you and God? Will you strip your soul starkly bare? Will you let go quickly, without thought or reservation, without looking back? Will you ask Him to fill you with His Spirit so that your heart overflows with His great things—His gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? This Christmas, may you be blessed, overflowing with joy, rejoicing in God your Savior.
Lynn D. Morrissey possesses the rare ability to probe beneath the surface, striking the heart of a subject, while sharing transparently from her own heart. She is passionate about journaling,through which God healed her of suicidal depression, alcoholism, and guilt from an abortion. She empathizes greatly with those who endure pain. A poetic word stylist, Lynn sculpts beautiful language with her pen, and is the author of Love Letters to God: Deeper Intimacy through Written Prayer and other books, contributor to numerous bestsellers, a Certified Journal Facilitator (CJF) for her ministry, Heartsight Journaling, AWSA speaker, and professional soloist. She lives with her husband Michael and college-age daughter Sheridan in St. Louis,Missouri. Contact: words@brick.net
Stunningly beautiful and spot-on wise, my friend. Love this so much, Lynn.
And waving hello to Rebekah! Like you, I’ve been blessed by Lynn so much in 2013. A joy to find her here today.
Jennifer, how I love and appreciate you. Thank you so much for visiting and for these gracious words. You are such a gift to all who know you. And I canNOT wait to read your words of wisdom in your new book this spring. Merry Christmas, dear friend. And my love always to your precious daughter and resident writer, Lydia!
Love,
Lynn
Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer! I’m thrilled to have Lynn here today.
A lovely post from a lovely lady–the perfect way to start my day! Blessings!!!
Hello sweet heartbud.
Thank you so much for these kind words. You’ve done your share of emptying (remember those empty chairs?!) only to see God fill your life and Al’s with such blessings.
I love you!
Lynni
poetic, beautiful, an Advent devotion worth thinking about and putting into action, emptying ourselves, like Christ and Mary so that we can be filled to overflowing with His love, mercy, grace, peace & joy to share in such a dark & hurting world who need God’s grace & mercy & all. Thank you, Lynni, for sharing your heart.
Thank you for such heartfelt, gracious words, MaryAnn, and you really *get* this! That’s exactly it!! We empty ourselves so He can fill us so that we may empty ourselves yet again, spilling His blessings onto others!
Merry Christmas, dear MaryAnn!
Love
Lynni
Such a lovely post! Beautifully written poetic prose that speaks straight to the soul and the heart of the matter. Yes, we have made Christmas all about being filled and forgotten about the paring back, emptying, baring of lives already stuffed to the gills with too much busyness, detritus, things, junk ~ too much of ourselves and our own desires.
Thank you, Lynn, for reminding us of the need for seeing our internal emptiness before we are ready to be filled with God’s Spirit, His holiness, grace, mercy and love lavished so freely. It’s a real pleasure to meet with you here and savour the wisdom your words have imparted. Blessings
x
Joy, you are a lovely new friend, and I so appreciate Rebekah having graciously connected us. How I love this world of blogging, where new friends are met and treasured. Everyone I meet has such a generous heart and spirit. You truly understood my heart here, and I’m grateful. It’s not just physical *stuff*, but spiritual, as you beautifully point out. And I am thinking that the physical debris is emblematic of a far deeper, spiritual heart-clutter issue. Thank you for *your* poetic voice and for pointing us to the One who fills us with Himself this Christmas and always!
I *love* words!
Merry Christmas and love,
Lynn
PS Anyone who uses a word like detritus may go to the head of her class!
I love your metaphor of the tree with emptying ourselves like Jesus. Thank you for sharing your prose at Rebekah’s so we could partake and be filled up. You are a blessing.
Shelly, I’m so grateful for these generous words. Thank you so much! Yes, yes, that’s it! We empty ourselves so we might be filled with Him–only with HIM! You are so precious, Shelly,
Merry, merry Christmas! Rest well, my Sabbath sister…..and I just happened to think–just for you–of the carol, with this first line and title: God rest you merry, gentleman. Many put the comma in the wrong place! May God rest you merry, Shelly. We are truly merry, joyed, blessed, and happy when we find our rest in Him
Muchlove,
Lynn
Wow, Lynn, truly beautiful—and beautifully true! And so “one-in-spirit” with the post I just wrote to publish late tonight or early tomorrow! Just what God has also been impressing on my heart.
We do have such a hard time freeing ourselves from so much worrisome, as well as attractive, life clutter—maybe especially at this time of year. We commemorate His emptying Himself in coming to such lowly position in our so-small world, yet overload every which way in the doing, filling up the lists and schedules and stockings and tables and brains and anxious spirits with earth-stuff. Which makes it all so very ironic! No wonder He steps in and does some of the necessary stripping away Himself. (This year I’ve been sick through all of December so far, and that emptied out almost everything “Christmas,” yet how I ended up filled with inner richness!) God always good.
Oh my, yes, Sylvie……..when we empty out all the frivolity and feverishness and frenzy of the season–all that really doesn’t matter–He filles us with HIS riches–HIS richness. Oh, you, I, we are rich, indeed, beyond measure. I’m looking forward to reading your post. I’m so sorry that you’ve been sick and hope you are completely well soon. Yet, isn’t it incredible how He can even use illness for our good, to draw us to Him, and to clear our schedules? Enforced rest is sometimes (ironically) very blessed.
God bless you this Christmas, Sylvie!
Love
Lynn
Beautiful reminder of the Truth and what we are called to be about. In the emptying process we find humility that was our example and that is when our Father begins to fill us with His gifts, the ones of so much value they can’t be calculated by numbers.
Merry Christmas to you and yours and thank you for the wonderful gift of your words and heart.
Floyd, I am always so humbled by your generous words, which I know overflow from your generous heart. I love how you always understand what I am trying to say. When we empty out those things we think are so necessary, so valuable, He fills our hearts and lives with His true treasures. Thank you for always giving so graciously what He has given you! Merry Christmas, dear Floyd!
Love
Lynn
Beautifully expressed, Lynn. I love your metaphor with spring, and letting go/embracing Him in our hearts – the truest GIFT of all. Our hearts His manger, not just at Christmas. In Him we have our strength and our being and our joy. You have so many words bubbling up inside you and I’m glad (if you aren’t doing your own blog, which you would be fabulous at) that you are guesting here this season! All His blessings to you and yours as Christmas fast approaches! Love, Pam
Oh thank you so much for these lovely words, Pam. Your words are always humbling, and I’m very grateful. I love this metaphor: our hearts, his manger. Wow! That is so lovely and meaningful. Jesus was born and placed in an empty manger (a feeding trough), and He enters empty hearts and continues to feed us straight through eternity. In Him, yes, we have absolutely everything!
I’m so grateful to Rebekah for this lovely place to land.
Blogging those bubbling-up words? Hmmm…….I always think I will run out of them, and I have so much respect for all you heart-bloggers of the world. You have answerd an important and difficult call and I thank God for each of you, and ask Him to bless you!
Merry Christmas, dear Pam!
Love
Lynn
oops… I MEANT the metaphor with Autumn
Ha! You had me going there for a moment, and I thought I’d missed something!
Lynni! You just deepened the meaning of the Autumn of my life by great measure. Love you and the way the Lord pours forth from your well of words. And what a blessing to meet Rebehka!
Christmas hugs,
Kelly
Thank you so much for these gracious words, Kelly. More and more I have come not just to love Autumn as a life messenger, but winter. There really is something about baring and paring down that allows us to see more clearly. Wow! Spiritual vision is invaluable. Thank you so much for the insights you always bring, and I really do hope you will be a regular reader of Rebekah’s blog. You’re gonna love her, and she, you!
Merry Christmas, dear one!
Love
Lynni
Kelly, thanks for coming here to read Lynn’s beautiful post! So very nice to meet you too!
Dearest Rebekah,
Before I write another word, I must thank you for your beautiful blog, beautiful life, beautiful gifts. You are such an endearing, authentic Christian woman who loves Jesus with all your heart, your soul, and your mind. Thank you beyond words for your gracious generosity in allowing me to share your space today. I am indebted, and hope that all your readers will be filled with the joy of the Lord!
Thank you so much.
Gratefully,
Lynn
I’m honored to have you guest posting here today. Your words are always rich, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to introduce my readers to you. You’ve ushered us into a much deeper meaning of Christmas. Thank you for such kind comments.
oh lynn, you ministered deeply to this tired soul tonight, friend… it’s in the emptying, that he fills us. love to you. thank you, rebekah, for hosting dear lynn!
THank you for such affirming words, precious Emily. Yes, it really is a paradox, isn’t it? And I love how He ministers when we are empty–at the end of ourselves……..that’s only the beginning with Him! I can’t tell you how much I loved meeting you at Allume. My friend Kelly told me how beautiful you are, and she is right! Merry Chrsitmas, dear one, and yes, many thanks to sweet Rebekah! Rest your weary head on Him. Sweet dreams.
Love
Lynn
Lynni- thank you for this baring of your heart and soul that causes me to say ahhh…yes to emptying me of me so Jesus can be more present…good evening reading to prepare my heart for tomorrow …keep pouring out your heart for Him and I love how you encourage others with your words! Love-Kel
Lynni- You truly brought my heart the perspective it has been lacking this Advent season. Thank you for baring your heart and soul in these words! Love -Kel
Kel, dear Kel! Two gracious responses! I’m so grateful. I love how deeply you understand paradox and how you live this kind of life, transparently before us. What amazes me is how you “empty yourself out” for others–always pouring out all you are, in the name of Christ, to bless and bless and bless. I am grateful to have been a recipient more times than I can count. Thank you so much, dear one, and I wish you so well tomorrow!
Merry Christmas!
Love
Lynni
Lynn,
What a beautiful metaphor of the tree…..and then your transition to how we need to follow Mary and Christ’s example of emptying…Kel recommended your post to me, and I am thankful she did…(Hi Rebekah, thanks for hosting )
Hello Dolly (oh, that makes me smile! :-).
Seriously, though, I’m so grateful that you stopped by, and I must say that I appreciate not just your thoughtul comments here, but at your beautiful blog. I tried to respond there earlier today, your format does not allow me to post as a “guest” as some do. I think perhaps that Kel will cut and paste my reponse to you. Thank you again for your kind words.
Merry Christmas,
Lynn
Lynn, we are fresh from the Christmas feast this Christmas day and these words here empty and fill all at once. I have often contemplated the naked tree–the beauty and vulnerability laid bare. You write about it so beautifully. Merry Christmas, sweet friend. Many blessings to you.
Laura, what a lovely and gracious Christmas gift you have given me through your kind words. I’m so grateful. Thank you. And yes, the winter tree has spoken to me so much, as it has to you–not just here, now…..but when I left my career twenty-one years ago to raise Sheridan. I was a winter tree, stripped bare of the lush leafage of professional accolades and friendships. I started reading in the psalms, especially, and I loved Psalm 1, particulary. I knew that if the tree stayed rooted by streams of living water, that in time, I’d bear fruit. The winter trees will one day yield to spring. I”m thinking perhaps that it was Augustine who saw a tree bud after winter, and it He knew of the existence of God and resurrection. I need to bone up on my history, but I do know that the bare tree has spoken to so many. You are precious, Laura. Thank you for visiting Rebekah’s, and I wish you a joyous Christmas!
Love
Lynn
Wow, Lynn, your writing IS inspired. Here we all stand, bare branches and raw, reaching up to HIM! These are “holy-days” indeed…thanks to Rebekah for hosting here.
Hi Lynn Diane!
It was so lovely for you to take time midst this busy time of year to read this. Thank you so much. I love that image you depict of leafless limbs raising in praise of the One who came to save us. Just beautiful. Thank you so much for your kind words–they’re very humbling.
I hope you have a wonderful New Year!
Blessings,
Lynn Diane!