Merry Christmas!

As we finished up our lesson on the healing of the Centurion’s servant (not real Christmasie but a wonderful lesson in Christ’s love and power), I asked my 7th and 8th grade girls to think about their most memorable Christmas gift and their most memorable Christmas moment. Then I headed to the copier to make our worksheet large enough to add to the wall décor and as I went, my mind raced with all the years and years of Christmas memories.

I thought back to the anticipation of getting the one thing I thought I wanted most in the world, a leather coat with fringe on the sleeves, only to open a PURPLE leather vest with fringe that went to the floor. I didn’t have the nerve to tell mother she had really messed up with this gift – I graciously kept it and my brothers and I had a cornerstone piece of our Halloween costumes for years to come. Many years later, Mom found it in the closet and wrapped it up and gave it to me again. This time it brought tears of joy instead of horror and embarrassment. Isn’t it funny what time can do to something we perceive as awful, embarrassing, and ugly?

I remembered the time Daddy shrunk my favorite sweater when trying to help me out by doing my laundry and how he felt so bad he went and shopped for hours to find as an exact match as possible to give me for Christmas. Mom always did all the shopping for us, but this was special – Dad took time out of his busy schedule to restore to me something precious that had been lost.

Then there was the Christmas that Dad worked so hard to surprise Mom. He always gave her wonderful, well thought out, personal gifts but this year was going to be special. He was giving her a mink coat. Just before Christmas the Neiman Marcus fur vault caught fire and all the inventory and customer storage was lost – millions in fur up in smoke. Dad decided to use this to his advantage. He borrowed my dress up mink stole and wrapped it up in a beautiful package; but before closing the box, he burnt some tissue paper and put it in the box with my toy stole. When Mom opened her present, ashes went everywhere and out she pulled my toy stole. We all had a good laugh as Dad explained that he had purchased a priceless mink coat for her but it had been destroyed in the Neiman’s fire and this was all that was left. Needless to say, he had her coat waiting for her in the other room and she was overjoyed to find the perfect gift Dad had prepared just for her.

Yet, all of these gifts were made possible because of the fist and best Christmas present – the gift from God of His Only Begotten Son; the one perfect gift that would be the example for all future Christmas gifts. God carefully planned the perfect time, the perfect place, and the perfect setting to give His gift. He knew exactly what we needed to be restored and that’s what He gave. He gave His best with more love than we can imagine. His gift took our sin and shame and made it something beautiful – His gift restored what was long lost by our sin – His planning and timing were perfect.

This week is going to be filled with family, fun, and all sorts of new Christmas memories and conversations and laughter about years gone by. As we make new memories and remember the joys of the past, let’s be sure to thank our Father for the perfect gift – that very first Christmas Present – Jesus our Savior!

Merry Christmas!

Out to Lunch Bunch

I have these friends...none of us can really explain how we hooked up as a group to begin with because we are each so different -- not just in personality but also in where we are in life. But now that we're a group we make the most of our friendship. We pray for each other, we celebrate with each other, we cry for each other, and mostly we laugh with each other. God has blessed us with the Spirit of JOY. I couldn't get through without these women! How I wish I had my camera in hand for each of the moments at our last Out To Lunch Bunch Feast, but here are a few shots.

Starting Over with Change....

What’s it look like?

How much change is possible?

Am I qualified to answer the questions?

My church is looking to the future. To see what the body thinks, the group of people in charge of this project has randomly sent out anonymous surveys. We did this a few years ago and as far as I can tell, nothing happened – no change occurred -- which leads me to believe one of four things happened. Either no one answered the survey, everyone was happy (or afraid to “complain”), no one proposed anything new or challenging, or leadership wasn’t interested in implementing any of the changes suggested. No matter which one of those is actually true…how sad.

I’m pretty sure the first isn’t true because I know several people who did fill out a survey and turn it in, me included. Odds say that there is no way everyone was happy with the status quo and I’m guessing a few people had to have enough gumption to throw a few new ideas into the ring. So that leaves the other two…the ideas weren’t seen as good or the leadership wasn’t as interested in shaking things up as they thought they were.

I’m not sure what the answer is since I was not a part of the group who got to read the surveys nor was I a “decision maker”. But either way, it’s a bit disturbing that I am either a part of a church that is completely without ideas or the leadership is lacking what it takes to step out in faith and do something new for the Lord.

Both will dry us up as a church body.

I don’t want anything God doesn’t want and I believe He uses opportunities like this to get His ideas down on paper so I’m going to prayerfully hold on to my survey for a time and re-read the book of Acts. Every church body should come as close as they can to being like the churches in Acts. Those were the ones that set the world on fire and if ever the world needed fresh fire, it’s now.