My sister did the math – Jesus is coming!

“…Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Matthew 24:44

My sister arrived in town on business and I excitedly awaited an evening to spend time together to “catch up”. We sipped fruit-flavored sparkling water and savored Ghirardelli Chocolate. I listened for hours as she spoke of prophecies and symbolism. 

Her studies of Christ’s return to the earth have been intensely thorough lately. As she shared her findings, her voice rang with assertiveness. My thoughts turned to hope. Hope for less suffering, less pain, and more enduring peace. My initial thoughts of hope were followed by thoughts of motivation. The desire to be deliberate in my thoughts, my walk, and my talk. 

Then the next day, as I continued to think about all the prophecies she studied in scripture, I needed to decide what it meant to me- for me…

If Jesus is coming back as promised and foretold so long ago,

Am I ready?
Am I getting ready?
Am I ready in anticipation? Or hurriedly trying to mitigate my mistakes. 

I have a vivid memory of when I was four years old. We were expecting dinner guests. We lived in a small farmhouse on the outskirts of town with a few farm animals. Mom was inside finishing dinner preparations. We had finished our own chores in preparation and were sent outside to wait and greet our guests. The swing set in the backyard was the perfect perch to see the gravel lane up to our home. 

I swung and kept a vigilant watch for our guests. 
Before long, dust stirred up over the driveway indicating our guests had arrived. I jumped from my swing and ran to tell Mom they were “here”…

I contrast that with an experience of a time 30 years later, when I had a family of my own. My husband had scheduled and pre-paid for a lady to come to help me with some cleaning and household chores. He traveled a lot and knew the burdens of housework would often leave me depleted of energy. For Christmas one year he acquired some help for me. Once a month- for two hours I would get to leave my home and return to a tidy- perfectly clean house. Upon returning, I would put the kids down for a nap and put my feet up to read a magazine and relax in my clean orderly home. I loved it…

Until the day I forgot she was coming…

I remember looking at the calendar and the clock and realized I only had about ten minutes before she would arrive. My house was a disaster. I began grabbing EVERYTHING (books, toys, backpacks, dirty dishes, and smelly laundry)- literally everything out of place and stuffed it into the back of my SUV…

This was clearly not a solution but in a moment of desperation trying to hide the chaotic state my home was in- I attempted to hide my filth and troubles.

The whole point of this lady coming was to help me…
But I was embarrassed and stubborn and prideful…

Hours later I returned to a momentarily clean house- until I unloaded my stinky SUV and spent the bulk of the next several days sorting through my literal piles of filth…I wasn’t ready for help and her looming arrival sent me into a panic. 

How do I feel about Jesus Christ returning to the earth?

Am I out swinging joyfully awaiting Him, or will I feel caught- completely unprepared?

Deliberate steps determine my preparedness…

He is returning…

I anticipate it being “soon”…

After all, my sister did the math…😉

-JC

Toffee & Milk Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup soft butter
½ cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup quick oats
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped toffee pieces
2 cups milk chocolate chips

Cream butter, Crisco, and sugars with an electric mixer on medium high for 1 minute or until fluffy. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla extract; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Stir in toffee pieces and chocolate chips. Scoop out approximately 24 2” balls of dough.  Gently roll and flatten slightly. 
(For a richer flavor and smoother texture refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.) 
Place on parchment paper lined aluminum cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ min. Garnish with melted Hershey Bar if desired.
Let set. Share!