IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

Peace I leave with You, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

 

On the brink of another year, what does it mean to have peace in your life? In John 14, Jesus’ words are difficult for the disciples to understand. Jesus says He is going away, not what these men want to hear. But He also says He will return, and even more puzzling, that God will send the Holy Spirit—the Comforter—to help them. The disciples are not comforted; they want Jesus to stay. His words leave them uneasy and restless.

 

What the men don’t grasp is that Jesus is always with them, even when they cannot see or touch or hear Him. He has already inhabited their beings, and though they are fearful, they will soon be emboldened to carry His message far and wide. They will start a movement still with us today: the church that our Lord Jesus asked them to inaugurate. Before their own earthly deaths, they will know the promise of eternal life is theirs. It is well with their souls.

 

Composer Horatio Spafford wrote one of the church’s most beloved songs, “It Is Well With My Soul” (often called “When Peace Like a River”) in 1876. One would think he penned these beautiful words when he was praising God for his many blessings. But nothing could be further from the truth. After losing a two-year-old son in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Spafford sent his wife and four daughters ahead on the Ville de Havre steamship for a European vacation. He delayed joining them until some business could be attended to. The ship sank, with only his wife surviving. Aboard a second ship, on his way to meet his grieving wife, Stafford wrote the words to the song as he passed by the place where the ill-fated vessel had sunk. At the lowest point in his life, he proclaimed that, with God, “It Is Well With My Soul.”

 

Jesus, You know our human situation can be dire and dismal. We praise You for dwelling in our hearts and providing peace and comfort all year long. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has over thirty years’ experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, war veterans, and other trauma survivors.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

JOSEPH, STEP-PARENT

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21

 

Our Gospel lesson last Sunday morning was from Matthew 1, specifically about Joseph and his reaction to the news that his fiancé was suddenly, questionably with child. Joseph is conflicted: he is a kind man, not wishing to bring shame and even abuse on the young woman he thought he loved. But he believes he should—must—“dismiss her quietly” and move on with his own life. He knows this child that Mary carries is not his. He wants to believe her, but her story is just too preposterous! How would things go if another man suddenly came forth and claims the child as his? Imagine Joseph’s surprise when an angel of the Lord comes to him in a dream and says, “No, Joseph, you must not let Mary go! Her Child was conceived by God’s Holy Spirit, and He is coming to save the world.”

 

Some refer to Joseph as Jesus’ “foster father.” Being a step-parent myself, I must take issue with that designation. A foster parent only takes a child for a short time, presumably until a “forever family” is found for the youngster. But Joseph did, in fact, take Mary as his lawfully wedded wife, which in my book clearly makes him a step-father. I’ve never born any children, but instead, I collect other people’s kids. I married two different men who had daughters, so I became all three of their step-mothers. And I can tell you that the love and devotion I have for these three step-children, and my one adopted daughter could not be any more real if I had carried them each for nine months and brought them into this world. Joseph was signing up for the long haul, and so was I. Step-parenting is a unique relationship, but every bit as poignant as bearing natural children.

 

Jesus, You know the blessing of having Joseph choose to marry and support Your mother. Bless all non-traditional families this special season! Amen

 

CHRISTMAS MONDEGREENS

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. Luke 2:9 (KJV)

 

A mondegreen is the misinterpretation of a word or phrase in a way that gives it an entirely different meaning. Mondegreens most often arise in the hearing of a poem or song, with the listener not clearly understanding a word or words and substituting a similar sound that makes at least some sense. American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in 1954, recalling that as a girl she had misheard the lyric, “…and laid him on the green” in a Scottish ballad as, “…and Lady Mondegreen.” Perhaps the most memorable Christian mondegreen is the lyric from the old hymn, “Gladly the Cross I Would Bear For Jesus,” which some poor child once heard as “Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear.”

 

There are many examples of mondegreens from Christmas music and Scripture as well. When I first heard Luke 2:9, I exercised my passion for commas, and the verse spoke of the shepherds being “sore, afraid”—both together made a sorry state of affairs for what had been a normal night tending their sheep. And poor Mary will forever be a “round young virgin,” thanks to my long-ago misinterpretation of the lyrics to “Silent Night.” “Away In The Manger” finds “cattle are blowing the baby away, and “Hark, Harry the Angel Sings.” Speaking of Harry, another line in that hymn was once interpreted as “Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners wreck a child.” The standard carol “Angels We Have Heard On High” yields the misunderstood “glory in Aunt Chelsea’s stable!” Repetition can throw some people off, as in the chorus of “The First Noel:” No Whales, No Whales, No Whales, No Whales!” And my personal favorite, from “O Come All Ye Faithful:” “joyful and tri-elephant, oh come let us ignore Him….”

 

Now all my readers will be cracking up on Christmas Eve and everyone will be wondering what’s so funny. But you’ll have some great conversation starters later over turkey and pumpkin pie. God wants us to enjoy ourselves in this life, and Christmas is a wonderful time to laugh and be merry. After all, there is a song for that too: “Deck the Halls With Boston Charlie.”

 

Lord of Laughter, fill us with joy this Christmas season! Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan tells stories of wisdom, strength, fear, joy and risk-taking. Daughter of a raging alcoholic mother, and survivor of sexual assault at gunpoint, Corrigan has shaken a dismal past and flung herself into the arms of Christ, Who sustains her in her daily walk of grace. She shares with her listeners her incredible story of surviving and thriving through many trials during her seven decades walking this fragile earth. She has been described as a Renaissance Woman, integrating her formal training in psychology and counseling, an enlightening experience as a percussionist for a Polynesian show troupe, and most recently as an inspirational author and blogger. Her exposure to many life experiences has enriched her passion for spreading Christ’s word and helping other trauma survivors. She has a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling and thirty-plus years of experience in the field of counseling and social work.  She lives in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, with the love of her life, Patrick, and their formerly disenfranchised rescue dog Ginger. www.MegCorrigan.com    MegCorrigan@comcast.net

A LITTLE LOVE

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11

 

Even the producers were sure it would be a flop. They went through with it only because they had already publicized it. On December 9, 1965, CBS aired “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” in spite of just about everyone’s belief that the show could not succeed. Everyone, that is, except the American public, forty-five percent of whom watched the show that night. The program eventually won an Emmy and a Peabody, and it has been broadcast every Christmas season since. Why was the show so successful, when pitiful Charlie Brown started out depressed about Christmas? He blamed himself, telling Linus “there must be something wrong with me,” and he laments the behavior of the entire Peanuts gang. Snoopy has entered his doghouse in a Christmas decoration contest with a cash prize. Lucy wants more than “stupid toys or clothes or a bicycle” for gifts; she wants “real estate.” Sally writes to ask Santa to “make it easy on yourself, just send money.” “Christmas is a big commercial racket,” Lucy declares.

 

Peanuts creator, Charles Schultz, insisted that the film include the next scene, Linus reciting the Gospel of Luke’s Nativity Story. The producers thought the move was risky because “religion” didn’t seem to mix with cartoons. But Schultz won out. “If we don’t do it, who else can?” he said. Charlie Brown loses his melancholy but fails again trying to decorate his miserable little tree. The entire Peanuts gang has a change of heart when they see Charlie so discouraged. Linus says, “Maybe (the tree) just needs a little love.” They come together to adorn the little tree with all the ornaments they can find. Charlie’s heart is changed too, and the cartoon’s creator, Schultz, again shows that his little characters, while flawed, really aren’t so bad. They all just need a little love.

 

Precious Jesus, You came to us as an innocent Child, to see us in our flawed and sinful situations. Thank You for changing our hearts and understanding that we too just need a little love. Amen

 

Both candid and humorous, insightful and ponderous, Meg Blaine Corrigan’s memoir, Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child, takes the reader through her chaotic childhood with an alcoholic mother and enabling father to a violent assault that nearly ended her life. She populates her tale with vivid descriptions of her parents, other influential adults, the attacker, and her disastrous first marriage. But this story has a happy ending, when Meg finds solace in a God she didn’t think she’d ever believe in, when He gently helps her heal from her past lives and move into the best times of her life. Meg has also written a novel, Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist, about said first marriage, as well as a Christian devotional, Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian, comprised of blogs from this site. Stay tuned for sequels to her last two books! All of her works may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

A PRIVILEGED PLACE

Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1:3-4

 

Each year when Advent begins, I have a particular sense of awe about the coming of Christ. Our Savior is like a super-hero Who comes to avenge all evil in the world and bring healing and hope to the masses. The magnitude of what He comes to accomplish is overwhelming. It pushes aside all the pettiness of our collective yearning for the “stuff” of life, the achievements and accumulations that bind us to our own humanity. God in the world is a scary thought, even while it is comforting. So…there is hope after all. There is a reason to think that goodness prevails in this seemingly wicked world.

 

But when I think of Christ coming to redeem the world, I can’t help but think of what His coming means for me personally. Yes, me, just little old (and-getting-older) me, insignificant in the world’s view perhaps—but not in Christ’s sight. Jesus thinks I’m really something, and He wants me to know that. He looks at my meager accomplishments and says, “Well done!” He views my spiritual immaturity as great progress—after all, what other way is there to learn to live like Christ than to find our way slowly, haltingly? Like the father of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, our Lord sees us when we are “yet far off.” He runs to meet us and celebrates every accomplishment in our lives. God is the expert in working with people’s mistakes. He never grows tired of waiting for us to push our egos out of our own path and find our way back to Him.

 

As if that isn’t enough, Christ also came to tell us that our bodies—our imperfect, decaying, funky bodies—are His temple, His sacred place (1 Corinthians 3:16). He dwells in us, inhabiting our very beings if we ask Him to. And in so doing, He declares that we are sacred and precious to Him. How astonishing it is to know that my Lord calls me a privileged place for His Spirit to dwell! This Advent, remember this God Who came to dwell in your heart and mine.

 

Abiding Savior, make Your home here in my heart forever. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has over thirty years’ experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, war veterans, and other trauma survivors.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

JESUS DELIVERS

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. John 14:27

 

Every Christmas season, retailers seek to outdo their records from the previous year. They strive for more sales, better deals, quicker delivery, and happier customers. The website holidaycommerce360.com tallies ten factors that go into retail selling in the United States from Thanksgiving weekend until New Year’s Day. The site reports that in 2018, “consumer confidence” (public trust in the economy) was the highest it has been in eighteen years. Last year’s sales growth (total dollars in sales for the year) was up fifteen percent from the previous year. Sixty percent of consumers planned to spend at least fifty percent of their shopping dollars online, and seventy-six percent planned to purchase at least one-fourth of their holiday dollars online—up seventy-three percent since last year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday were the top two days of shopping on Amazon Prime. Purchasing online to pick up locally and same-day delivery were important factors in people choosing to order online.

 

If you think this data is a strange way to celebrate the birth of the Son of God, you are not alone! While the Christmas spending “hype” is going on every year, Christian pastors around the nation are proclaiming the true meaning of Christmas from their pulpits. Choirs and church bands and Sunday school coordinators are practicing in preparation for special Christmas programs throughout the Advent season. Many who believe in the coming of the Son of Man at Christmas—including me—know that the season we call Advent cannot be measured by sales growth or percent of online purchasing. Jesus came to deliver the very best deal of all time: His presence here on earth, walking, talking, healing, bringing a message of peace and love. He gave the ultimate gift when He willingly went to the cross thirty-three years after His birth, to show that He indeed could conquer death and live in our hearts forever. Jesus doesn’t care if we worship Him through a televangelism program or at a physical place of worship, as long as we come and have fellowship with Him and our fellow believers.

 

Precious Jesus, how did we ever get here, where the celebration of Your birth has become so commercialized? Take us back to seeing only You in Christmas. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has over thirty years’ experience working with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, war veterans, and other trauma survivors.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .