The Busiest Time of the Year

Connecting Through Word | December 17, 2014

“..they bowed down and worshiped him.” Matthew 2:11

They call Christmas the “most wonderful time of year”, though most of us would call it the “busiest time of year”. With everything going on, we are often left drained and wishing someone would save us from all the mess. Save us from the crazy schedules, the long list of things to do and buy, the grumpy shoppers, the icy roads, the irritating family members, and the stress of it all. Thankfully, the one who came to save the world all those years ago is still the one who can save us now.

Thousands of years ago, scriptures mentioned the Messiah would come and save the world. Men and women of God waited and watched for Him to come. In the book of Matthew, we read that wise men from the eastern lands saw a star in the sky, a sign that the Messiah was born.

It not only was a sign, but it was a guide. They followed the star until it stopped in Bethlehem over the place where the Messiah was. Looking for a newborn King, they entered through the door where they saw baby Jesus with his mother, Mary.

What happed next grabs my attention. They didn’t just pop their heads in, see that they found the Messiah, congratulate Mary and Joseph on their new bundle of joy and then go on about their wise men business down the road. No, instead in Matthew 2:11 it says,

“..they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

What gets me is that as busy as we would think wise men would be, they stopped and worshiped Jesus, offering Him their time and treasure. They traveled a very long way just to worship the Messiah and give Him gifts. Wow, look at us in stark contrast, thousands of years later.

This time of year we are running around looking more stressed than wise as we take part in the world wide celebration of Jesus’ birthday. We love to go look at all the twinkling and sparkly party decorations in and on everyone’s houses. We are singing along to all of His birthday songs on the radio too. (It just wouldn’t be His birthday without those, right? They are a favorite of mine, too!) The problem is we are so busy with the party and all the people there that we forget about spending any time with the birthday boy Himself.

This Christmas, what if we tried to be a little bit more Wiseman-like? Let’s stop, bow down to worship the birthday boy and give Him the offering of our time. He is so worthy of our worship. After all, He grew to be the man who would give His life as ransom for our lives and pay the price for sin: my sins, your sins, all of our sins on the cross. So that one day, we could live with Him for all of eternity. If only we believe He is the Messiah, the Savior, just as the wise men believed.

One of my favorite songs that tells the story of the wise men and reminds me to stop stressing and start worshiping is “Christmas Offering”. After five minutes of losing myself in the song, I am reminded to refocus and put my eyes on Jesus and His plan for my day.

Often times that means letting my plan go, which translates into crossing some things off of my list. This Saturday, my daughter, Kaitlyn, and I went furniture shopping early in the afternoon, and then I was going to get home and work on few projects I still wanted to do before Christmas. Partway through shopping, I looked at the clock and realized if we didn’t leave town right then, I wouldn’t have time to get everything done.

I felt a gentle tug at my heart reminding me to treasure these moments with her and create memories that make this season “the most wonderful time of the year”. So, instead of rushing my daughter through the stores so I could get back to work on my project, I mentally crossed it off my list, let it go, and lived in the moment with her.

I lingered in the kid’s section of the stores with her. I sat in the goofy funnel shaped chairs next to her, and we laughed at how silly and impractical they were. I watched as she continued to sit on every piece of strange furniture there was. She helped me recall what it was like to be so young and free of schedules and to truly take in all the fun, new discoveries because time was irrelevant.

I thoroughly enjoyed shopping with Kaitlyn that day and I was reminded that children are a gift from God and taking time to nurture my relationship with my daughter is important to Him; even another act of worship to Him. That’s what the Christmas season is really all about, treasuring the gifts God has given and taking time to worship Him for them. I’m grateful for the new treasured memories my daughter and I made together this weekend. I’m thankful for the Savior, who even for a moment, saved me from the busyness of this world.

I pray you will find moments this Christmas season to be like the wise men and stop to worship Jesus as He tugs on your heart too. Enjoy this video of the song “Christmas Offering” from Casting Crowns, and I pray you will be able to lose yourself in the song, refocus and put your eyes on the plan Jesus has for you today.

Taunya

December 17, 2014 by Taunya Todd Leave a Commment · 1 Comment

Song Backstory: Pickin’ Up the Pieces

Connecting Through Music | October 20, 2014

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 NASB

Pickin’ Up The Pieces was a song I started writing several years ago when my kids were very little. (That’s such a mom thing to say. I’m sure if I really think about it, I could remember the exact year, but to do that, I would still have to base it on how old my kids were at the time!) The words first started to come on my way home from a visit to Iowa, where I grew up. I carry a small recording device with me for moments of inspiration, and as the kids slept in the back of the mini-van, I began to sing the lines as they came, little by little.

I was driving on I-94 just west of the Twin Cities, and it was starting to rain, which seemed fitting for how I was feeling. The trip had been emotionally draining from a difficult conversation with a friend. My heart was aching, and I was trying to process all that had been said. The sky was filled with gray clouds, and as the rain poured down, so did the tears from my eyes.

The words continued on from the heart of a stay-at-home-mom struggling with chronic pain and depression. It was a very gray time in my life. I lacked the energy to live my life the way I had planned, and as a result, it felt like everything around me was falling apart. I was feeling like someone had scooped up the puzzle I was working on, tossed it in the box, and shook it

When I think about it, I guess someone did. God used that difficult time in my life to shake me up and remind me that He held the key to the puzzle. If I would just surrender the pieces to Him, He could put them together to create a wonderful masterpiece. For so long, I had been trying to control how the pieces in my life went together, forcing some to fit where they didn’t, and failing to look for direction when I was stuck. And I was stuck. I was stuck between the joyous time of raising our little ones and the pit of despair. I knew where I wanted to be and where I didn’t, but I wasn’t able to move.

I had always dreamed of getting married and becoming a mom; I wanted two kids, a boy and a girl. I was living the dream plus a bonus when my husband, Steve, and I had three children. My oldest son, Tyler, came in 2000 and then the twins, Shane and Kaitlyn, came in 2003.

As you can imagine, I was a busy mama with three kids under the age of 3. I always felt tired, and I struggled with stomach pain. As much fun as the kids were, I was so worn down physically that it began to affect me emotionally. (The crazy long Minnesota winters were no help for my mood either!) I would retreat to my bed as often as I could to sleep away the exhaustion, physical pain, and looming depression.

This went on as the kids grew and was a constant wedge in my marriage. When I was sleeping, things weren’t getting done around that house, and Steve had to take care of the kids, which meant he couldn’t get things done outside either. As the frustration grew, walls built up between my husband and me. The joy in living the dream of being a wife and mom was hardly there, and I knew something had to change.

As I lay down to sleep, I would try to pray, but most of the time all I could get out was, “Help me!” I couldn’t find the words to explain myself and what I needed; I just knew I needed help. I’m so grateful that God is not just some “Big Guy in the sky”. His work is often done through the hands of His people right here on earth.

With the encouragement from friends and family, I sought out professional help. I was prescribed anti-depressants plus medication for my stomach pain. I also began to see a counselor at Valley Christian Counseling Center in Fargo, ND. There they helped me work through my emotions and continued to point me to the healing power that is only found in Jesus.

I was eventually able to wean off of the anti-depressants, but my physical health continued to be a challenge. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease which explained all the stomach pain I had been having for years. As devastating as the diagnosis was, there was a bit of comfort in knowing it wasn’t “all in my head”.

There are times, especially in the midst of a tough winter, that depression seems to be just around the corner, but thankfully, the tools I learned help to keep it at bay. Most of all, I have learned to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and surrender the pieces of my life to Him. I am so grateful for a God who works wonders in and through brokenness. The glorious part is that He never stops.

If you are struggling with depression, don’t struggle alone. Tell someone: a friend, a family member, your pastor…someone. There are people who want to pray with you and for you. Seek out help and counseling. There is no shame in that. If you live in the Fargo/Moorhead area, Valley Christian Counseling Center in Fargo is excellent.

Pickin’ Up the Pieces performed by the One Fine Day band

Written by Taunya Todd, Clark Holman and Renee Fuchs

Taunya

October 20, 2014 by Taunya Todd Leave a Commment · 4 Comments

This was not my idea of a 40th birthday

Connecting Through Word | October 15, 2014

Jeremiah 29:11-12 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

I turned forty this year. Even as I typed that, I thought, “That’s old.” I’d been dreading turning forty for that very reason. They make awful black decorations and cards saying 40 is “over the hill”. I don’t feel “over the hill,” but when I look in the mirror, I do see signs that I’m aging. (Thankfully, it’s nothing hairstylist Elise and a bag of Mary Kay can’t fix.)

When you’re young, getting older means more privileges like driving or legally becoming an adult. I even loved thirty; there was something freeing about it. I no longer struggled with where I fit in. I was content with where I was and who God was making me into. But by the time I started approaching forty, my attitude about my age changed.

In the music business, youth is what sells. Even though I had long ago stopped chasing the dream of being a famous country singer, I still felt some sort of comfort knowing it was my choice. Being too “old” felt like it crushed the dream. Even if I chose not to chase the dream, I still wanted to know it was an option.

When the day of my 40th birthday finally came around, I was kind of dreading it. My husband was scheduled to leave that afternoon for training, so my ideas of the perfect 40^th birthday had disappeared. It wasn’t that I expected a huge party, but I wanted something to set the day apart from all the others. We were able to squeeze in a yummy steak dinner, but it seemed the rest of my 40^th would be like any other day.

Family on 40th pic — My wonderful mother-in-law took this pic outside of the steakhouse. (It was a bit sunny out!)

Since my birthday fell on a Wednesday, that meant worship band practice that evening. My band friends gave me goofy birthday cards, and thankfully, none of them were about being “over the hill”. (I think I would have cried!) Towards the end of practice, it was getting late, and my birthday was coming to an end. As I sang one of my favorite worship songs, I closed my eyes, let go of the disappointment of being forty, and just worshipped…lost in the moment.

Then there was a commotion on the far side of the sanctuary. I opened my eyes to see several of my small group friends parading through the room and singing in celebration of my birthday. Overwhelmed by the precious gift of friendship, I lost it. Through the tears, I smiled, and I hugged each sweet friend. Then they ushered me into the Sunday school room where they had set up a make-shift party room with all kinds of festive girly birthday things in numbers of forty. (And none of them were “over the hill” themed: they know I would have cried!) It was so great to end the night by laughing with my friends and celebrating life.

40th Bday Party friends — My sweet small group friends. (I’m a little puffy from all the happy tears.)

My 40^th birthday wasn’t at all the way I thought a perfect birthday would be, but it was still good. I had enjoyed a wonderful meal with my family. (That someone else cooked and cleaned up!) I got to do some of my favorite things: sing with the band, worship my Savior, and spend time with my friends. As I drove home that evening, thinking of all the sweet blessings that day had brought, I sensed that forty wasn’t going to be so bad after all. Life doesn’t always turn out the way I had planned. Instead of looking back and being disappointed, I want to look back and see all the sweet, unplanned moments and be grateful. God knew what He was doing on my birthday, and I’m so glad He opened my eyes to see all the wonderful gifts in front of me. Jeremiah 29:11-12 says,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Now I look forward to the future and seeing what my forties have to hold. With age comes experience, and by living through forty years, I’ve had many experiences. Each one, good and bad, have shaped me into who I am today. They are the stories I share when I speak about the grace of God and the desperate need for a Savior. They are what I write songs about and sing to a crowd of people. They are why I lead, mentor and encourage women. They are the heart of why I have chosen to follow Jesus out of my comfort zone and the safety of church walls, onto the World Wide Web and into the great unknown. I don’t’ know what my future holds. I am still dreaming, but they are different and God-sized now, filled with His hope.

Oh, and I no longer dislike forty because I’m only as old as I feel, right?

Taunya

October 15, 2014 by Taunya Todd Leave a Commment · 4 Comments

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