Nancy Parker Brummett

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Nancy

Sunrise Hope at Easter

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Dear Readers, you may realize I didn’t post anything in February and March. That’s because we lost our almost 10-month old great-granddaughter, Anna, to complications of the flu on Feb. 12. I haven’t been able to write much since, but when I can I will post more about sweet Anna. For now, this repeat message on hope at Easter seems appropriate for us…and I hope for you. God bless.

No wonder so many people love to attend Easter sunrise services. A sunrise represents hope, and so it is the perfect representation of the hope we find in the message of Easter.

Few events can be counted on to occur day after day, but the rising of the sun is one of them. Even on a cloudy day, when the heat and light of the sun may be minimized, we can still see that the sun did indeed rise once again!

And how grateful we are for the blessing of the sun in our lives. Without it, we would be in perpetual darkness. Without it, plant life on the earth, including the flowers and trees that bring us so much joy, would shrivel and die. All the beauty we look forward to this time of year when spring begins to bloom would cease to exist. In fact, all of life would eventually disappear from the earth, all because we lost the sun.

Our life on earth is marked by the number of sunrises and sunsets we experience, but do we really experience them? Do we appreciate the sun and the majesty of the Creation that allows it to shine day after day, or do we take it for granted? The first rays of a sunrise are subtle at best. Slowly the darkness begins to fade as the sun makes its way toward the horizon, but then as the giant orb of fire climbs up into view the entire sky changes color. The sunrise can look different each and every day, but because we can count on it to happen without fail, it’s a wonderful symbol for the hope we have in Jesus Christ—the hope that is an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19).

It was a dark, bleak day when Jesus was crucified on the cross—the worst day His followers had ever known. And yet when the grieving women ran to the tomb early in the morning of the third day, after the sun had risen, they were greeted with the glorious news of the resurrection! Praise God we can be sure that those who believe in His Son will also know the glory of everlasting life. We can be even more certain of that than we are of the sunrise! For no matter what darkness our life holds, one day we will be bathed in the light of heaven forever.

The next time we are blessed to watch a sunrise, and especially on Easter morning, we should bask in the hope that it represents. It’s a hope that never fades, and never disappoints.

Restoring a Grand Old Lady

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As enjoyable as the holiday season may be, we can all feel the need for physical renewal once it’s over. The “new year, new you” mantra strikes a chord with many of us.

We can glean inspiration from a story of amazing restoration. On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire extensively damaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The crowd of onlookers gasped as flames shot through the roof and her iconic steeple toppled to the ground, with debris even spilling in to the Seine River nearby. To see this beloved medieval Catholic cathedral, built from the 12th to the 14th centuries, crumbling before their eyes was a horror beyond imagination.

But hope sprang from the ashes. France’s President Emmanuel Macron declared that the grand cathedral, visited by thousands of sojourners yearly, would be rebuilt and restored to her original glory in five years.

My husband and I were privileged to walk the streets of Paris in July of 2023. As we looked up at the massive scaffolding surrounding the majestic cathedral we shared our tour guide’s view that Macron’s deadline would probably not be met. Naysayers were many, yet thousands of diligent artists, artisans and craftsmen began the pains-taking work of cleaning and repairing stained glass windows, recreating stone and wooden carvings from photos, restoring centuries old paintings and murals, and resurrecting the damaged organ—the largest in France. The billion-dollar project was funded in part by donations from all around the world—with 57 million coming from the United States.

And so, taking just a bit longer than Macron predicted, Notre Dame Cathedral was rededicated in December 2024, welcoming thousands of worshipers and curious tourists through her doors.

Photos reveal that the cathedral is lighter and brighter than before. And it truly is restored to its original beauty with attention paid to every minute detail.

Now the gasps are those of awestruck visitors and worshipers attending mass.

Europe is full of amazing cathedrals, Notre Dame perhaps being the most famous, but the Bible reminds believers in Jesus Christ that we are the temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), indwelled by God Himself through the Holy Spirit. We the people are the church, not the buildings.

So if our temple needs a bit of restoration, let’s get started. Let’s pay more attention to what we do and don’t eat, lace up those walking shoes, and enter the New Year grateful for the bodies we have and in anticipation of where they may take us next

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

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After a year when so many lost their homes through war or natural disaster, I was especially grateful to decorate the place we’ve called home for almost 10 years and to share it with friends and family. This is where we live and this is home.

Yet another home comes to mind this time of year. The big white house on the hill where I grew up in Tennessee was still there until a couple of years ago. Although the house has been demolished and the surrounding land sold, I can still visit there in my heart and mind any time I want.

I close my eyes and I’m pulling my car up the long driveway and parking between the screened-in side porch and the dogwood tree. As I get out of the car I see my mom looking out the kitchen window where she’s been watching for me. By the time I get to the door she’s rushing to it from the other side, clapping her hands, smiling with her whole face, and calling out, “Nancy’s home! Nancy’s home!”

For most of us, even in the best of times, the Christmas season brings tears. Tears of sadness, tears of joy, maybe tears of gratitude for all we have or all we’ve loved and lost. Each year I tear up the first time I hear Amy Grant’s “Tender Tennessee Christmas.” She sings, I know there’s more snow out in Colorado than my roof will ever see, but a tender Tennessee Christmas is the only Christmas for me.The song connects two states that have been home to me. As a T-shirt I have reads, “I’m just a Tennessee girl in a Colorado world.”

At times, often after I’ve visited Tennessee, I begin feeling that rather than having two homes I don’t have any place to really call home—that geographically speaking I no longer belong here or there.

“First Moment in Heaven,” (c) Christian Photoshops

That’s when the Lord gently reminds me that it’s normal to feel this way, because we won’t truly be home until we are with Him for eternity.

The joys of this past year were many, but we also experienced some devastating losses and far too many memorial services. As we reflect on those who are no longer here experiencing Christmas with their families, we take comfort in knowing that because they were followers of Jesus Christ they are “home for Christmas” in the truest sense.

 

And until we join them, we’ll continue to be grateful for, and blessed by, our earthly homes present and past.

May you be blessed to be home for Christmas this year, and if you don’t know where your true home is, turn your eyes upon the Babe in the manger and the grace and truth He still brings to the world. Merry Christmas!

Grumpy or Grateful?

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Once a week I gather around a table in an assisted living facility nearby with a group of seasoned saints to go over a lesson from The Hope of Glory. This is just the most recent of several groups I’ve been privileged to meet with over the years, but I’ve gotten to know and cherish these ladies in a special way.

As with most volunteer assignments from the Lord, I feel sure I am blessed more by our time together than they are. I breeze in from my busy life with a report on the daily weather or other happenings in the “outside world” about which they are curious, and then we settle down to our lesson. We always close with prayer requests, and this is when the blessings just seem to pour out on the table like so many cups of spilled coffee.

Of course there are the normal complaints about slow service in the dining hall or delayed response times when they push a button for help. We discuss everyone’s latest aches and pains. Concerns are expressed about a prodigal adult child or grandchild, and more often than I’d like, we pray for someone’s illness or impending surgery. Yet no matter what needs we share, before we bow our heads to pray someone always expresses a sentiment of gratitude, and that grateful spirit permeates the room.

“I’m so grateful my son calls me now and we have a better relationship,” Nan reports. “Of course it’s not as often as I’d like, but it’s more than before so I’m grateful.”

“My family is moving me to Kansas to be near two of my daughters,” June announces. “I don’t mind because they are doing all the work and I know it will be a good thing. I’m so grateful for how they take care of me.” With tears in our eyes at losing her from our group, we still share in her gratitude.

“When I think back over the jobs I’ve had in my life, it amazes me that I’m able to live in a place like this,” Myrth reflects. “I mean I never made a lot of money, but God has provided this for me, and I’m grateful.”

All these women have experienced significant losses in their lives. They all have reasons to be grumpy, yet they choose gratitude instead. I’ve learned from them that it’s their faith, their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which makes this possible.

Design by Bree Miller.

So this week our lesson is titled “Attitude of Gratitude” and our key verse is from 1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. As I read these words from the lesson, I’ll say a silent prayer that they speak to each of our hearts, including mine:

A grateful heart doesn’t search for what’s missing, but delights in what’s present. A grateful heart expects the best from others, and gives its best in return. A grateful heart forgets what might have been, and enjoys every moment of each new day as it comes. A grateful heart is a prayer of its own—one that fills the heavens with praise!

May we all be less grumpy and more grateful this Thanksgiving.

Falling for Fall Again

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This is a reprise of an 11-year-old post but still sets the mood for the season to come. Happy fall y’all!

Fall is here in all its glory. With each leaf that swirls and floats toward the ground, I’m reminded of what a wonderful time of year this is to make a change. Whether the change is monumental, or so small only you know the difference, it can have lasting benefits. Here are some fall-inspired ideas to get you started.

Fall in to a recliner and just relax for a change. Watch some football. Make sure there’s a big bowl of popcorn within reach. If you really must feel more productive, add a holiday craft project to the game plan. But if you just want to sit and watch football, do it guiltlessly.

Fall out of bed a half hour earlier and take a walk around the block. Soon you’ll be buried under a comforter listening to announcements of wind chill factors and school closings. Take advantage of the cool, crisp mornings to clear your head…and work off some of the popcorn you ate watching football.

Fall in to a huge pile of leaves and just lie there looking up at the blue sky and cloud formations. No leaves in your yard? Show up at a friend’s house with a rake and volunteer to help for the pure joy of having a pile of leaves all to yourself. (Don’t pick your over-achieving friends. They won’t understand.)

Fall out of the habit. You know the one I mean. If you’re still smoking, quit now before you spend another winter shivering out in the cold on cigarette breaks. Not a smoker? Sarcasm can be a habit. So can cynicism. Pick a habit you want to break before the first snow falls, and fall out of it.

Fall in love. If you’re married, fall in love with your spouse all over again. Taking five minutes to make a list of things that first attracted you to him or her is a great place to start. Focus only on those things for a week, and before you know it, you’re head over heels again. No love interest at the moment? Fall in love with an adopted kitten or puppy. Their love is unconditional, and they’ll always be around for a snuggle on a blustery evening.

Fall out of line. I’m not recommending anything illegal or immoral, just out of the ordinary. Take a new route to work. Shop at a different grocery store. Read a book by an unknown author. Be less predictable. No one will really care, and you may find out you’ve been in the wrong line anyway.

Fall in over your head. Immerse yourself in something you’ve only dipped a toe into until now. Maybe it’s a dream, a relationship, a foreign language, or a career you’ve wanted to pursue. Fall is a great time to dive in fearlessly.

It’s fall…time to make a change for all seasons.

Back-to-School Prayer

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It’s happened. The sunflowers in the park where I walk bloomed and the back-to-school photos showed up on social media—two sure signs another school year is off and running.

Each year the timing of this event catches me and others of my generation off guard. How fondly we remember three long and lazy months of summer, with not a thought toward putting on those stiff new jeans or plaid dresses until after Labor Day. Yes, things change, but we can’t help thinking our grandkids are being robbed of a few more precious weeks of summer–more time to just be before they are asked to perform.

What hasn’t changed is how parents and grandparents hope the new school year will be kind to their offspring. We want their minds to be as sharp as those number two pencils in their backpacks and their hopes and dreams to be as bright as the neon colors in that new box of crayons. So we admire the photos, tell them we love them, and pray:

Lord, You know how hard it is for us to send the children we love out in to this ever worsening world unprotected. You see more evil than we do, and You weep when we weep over every school shooting or bullying incident.

Some senior fun!

Go with them, Lord. They need the armor You provide, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12). Equip them, we pray, with your belt of truth (v.14), breastplate of righteousness (v.14) and shield of faith (v.16).

You may have provided new school shoes, but we pray you will also fit their feet with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace (v.15). Give them the helmet of salvation (v.17) to protect them and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (v.17). And Lord, in your mercy, please help each child to have at least one good friend, for as You know, that can make all the difference.

They are yours, Lord. You love them even more than we do. Go with them we pray.