Christmas Thoughts

Here are a few random thoughts about Christmas. 

The most profound event of history is God's intervention in the world of humanity.  The Creator came to live among his creatures.  He still intervenes today with his Spirit, and it is still most profound.

Christmas is the season of peace and joy, but the traditions of the season seem to squeeze out the peace and joy.  Even if we had time to relax and celebrate, we might try to fill it up with busyness. 

If Jesus were to celebrate Christmas, I wonder what he would do.  I imagine that he would do something nontraditional, counter cultural.  He might not even decorate his house.  To be sure, his celebration would be selfless, showing God's love.

We need regular events to get us out of the routine.  Sometimes we hear God speak the best when we are a little off-balance in life.  Christmas celebrations help break up the mundane rituals of daily life, so that we can have time to reflect. 

I want to hear God speak, and see God work this Christmas.

What if...?

This is one of the most powerful questions, when asked about the right things.  It is also one of the most annoying questions when wielded by curious preschoolers, but that's another story.

When we ask far-out questions, we really begin to use our imaginations.  What if you just got a million dollars?  Easily we can dismiss that question, knowing that it will never happen.  Or will it?  Even if it doesn't happen, we can be stretched by considering the possibility.

Everybody's favorite "what ifs" are different.  What if she says yes?  What if I get the promotion?  What if I had the perfect day?  What if terrorists came to Christ?  What if Jesus gave me the opportunity of a lifetime...what would it look like?  What if I actually enjoyed school?  What if I tried to make my marriage work?  What if I could kick this habit?

God can take our imaginations and lead us to greater service for him.

What if you took a moment and wondered, what if?

Parade Time!

One of my favorite events every year is the Stokesdale Christmas Parade, and it is coming up this Saturday!  Our church is mobilizing to serve the community again.  We will serve snacks and hot beverages, provide a free concert in front of the Fire Station, and announce the parade floats as they come by downtown.  This is one way we can give to the community at Christmas.



Our Christmas Parade Concert, 2007



Every year our folks step up to make this event happen.  We have people providing snacks, workers to serve food and drink, sound techs and musicians to share music with the town.  Because we don't have materials for a stage this year, we are arranging to borrow a flatbed trailer for that purpose. 

We have so much to praise God for, especially this year, and I'm glad we can proclaim his goodness in the public square!

Our concert will begin around noon, and the parade starts at 2 p.m., this Saturday, December 11.  It's going to be a beautiful day!

El Señor

I love being corrected by my kids.  (Not really.)  In my sermon this morning, I noted that in Spanish, "El Señor" can refer to God.  In the same way, in the days of Jesus, the word for "Lord" can also mean "sir."

My daughter corrected me.  El Señor does not mean "God," she informed me.  It means "Lord."  OK, I stand corrected.  But that works even better with my illustration.

Can I be wrong and be even more right than I thought I was?

Real Giving

I love Thanksgiving.  And it's not because of all the great food.  I plenty of great food all through the year.  I like Thanksgiving because it is not polluted by all the busyness of other holidays.  OK, by "other holidays" I mean Christmas. 

Today I got a Thanksgiving card.  I like the idea of sending Thanksgiving cards.  In fact, I think that our culture should move the gift-giving tradition to Thanksgiving, too.  That way we could really focus on Jesus at Christmas, and on our blessings at Thanksgiving.  Giving stuff seems more appropriate at Thanksgiving.  "Giving" is even part of the holiday's name!

Well, I haven't done any Thanksgiving shopping, so I guess I won't be making that transition this year.  But I do want to do my Christmas giving with the kingdom of God in mind.  I am asking Jesus to guide me as I give.  It's really all about him.

My Third Grade

A Facebook friend recently posted a photo of our third grade class at Joyner Elementary School in Greensboro.  This post generated a long list of comments from classmates and others at Joyner, 1970-1971.  Suddenly we are all eager for a reunion!  (That's me on the far right wearing the Cub Scout uniform.)

I have always looked back at third grade with a profound fondness.  When this picture showed up on fb, I realized a few things.  First, I never realized that so many of my memories from elementary school were all connected with the same class.  Second, I discovered that lots of my classmates feel the same way I do.  Finally, I am surprised at the wealth of positive emotions I find associated with that chapter of my life -- it is a stark contrast with the feelings of insecurity associated with my high school years.

The person who set the culture for our class was our teacher, Mrs. Pearl Durham.  From an adult's perspective, I can really appreciate all her innovative, creative teaching methods.  She gave us one of the greatest gifts:  freedom.  Anyone could go to the restroom without asking permission:  she had two textile spools, about 8 inches long, one for the boys and one for the girls, placed in the chalkboard tray.  When a boy needed to use the restroom, he would take the boys' spool with him down the hall, and return it to the tray when he came back.  No tugging on Mrs. Durham's skirt -- we handled the responsibility ourselves, waiting for the spool to return, if necessary.  Man, she was smart.

I remember a lot of free time in class when we could work independently on assignments.  There was a card file box with several sections in which we could find ideas for creative writing; I loved going to the box to find just the right idea for a fun story. 

More than once she had ice cream brought to the class, in those little tubs with wooden spoons.  Clearly that's the way to a third grader's heart.

She arranged for our class to go to a recording session at a radio station, and later we heard our class on air! 

We took a train ride from Greensboro to High Point, where we ate breakfast at (what seemed to be) a fancy restaurant.  A caravan of moms met us there and brought us home.

We put on a play based on the first book in the "The Little House on the Prairie" series.  I only had one line, but I still remember it.

All this was packed into one year of school.  Wow!  I thank God for Mrs. Durham.  I want to be like her when I grow up.

Dirty Tricks

There are some dirty tricks out there.  The commercials tell us that there are only "easy" payments.  Ever heard about the "gut-wrenching" payments?  Ever made one?  Or a hundred of them?  The idea that it's better to have it now and pay for it later is, I believe, a dirty trick.

Then there are the ridiculous email phishing schemes:  "I'm a poor widow in [some foreign country], and I'll give you $10,000 if you'll just give me your bank account number."  It's a dirty trick.

Then there is the ubiquitous lie that stuff will make you happy.  It's a dirty trick.

We do have an enemy who is seeking to deceive us all the time.  He will put thoughts into our heads.  "That person doesn't like you."  "All you need is a little bit more."  "You are not ever going to succeed."  "God is holding out on you." 

And then there's my favorite:  "It's too late.  You can't make up for lost time.  You may as well give up."  I say it's my favorite, not because I like it, but because I constantly fall for it.  But I'm getting better at recognizing the enemy's tactics.  I can see how he's trying to deceive me.

What about you?  Do you see his dirty tricks?

He is seeking to wreck your life.  Or at least neutralize you.  He wants to wreck your relationships.  He wants to destroy your courage.  He wants nothing good for you. 

We need to be aware that our enemy is always on the prowl.  Don't fall for his dirty tricks.