As the midnight hour grows nearer...

As the midnight hour grows nearer, I sit here thinking of the past year, I find myself reflecting on what has been and what will be. That may sound depressing, but it isn’t meant to be. It is just that as 2011 ends, I have been trying to remember all that I did or didn’t do in this past year, and what I have to face, overcome, or works towards as 2012 begins.

One of the things that have been on my mind is my Theological schooling. In 2011, I completed five classes, which is saying a lot, considering four is a full load. That is also saying a lot considering the fact that I jumped into one of my courses when some people were already turning in their advanced work, so I had only a few weeks when others had a few months, and yet I still passed the class. In 2012, I will be taking three classes.

And why only three? Because that is all that I have left.

Why is this a major thought for me – because in past years, I have had struggles that have held me back for one reason or another, and now I will be completed with this level finally. (Time to do a Snoopy dance)

Something else that seems to be on my mind is how I have been able to make contact with more people that I went to high school with. This is a good thing, because the contacts I have made have all been good ones, even with people that I’m willing to bet wouldn’t have thought about chatting with me near 30 years ago. Back then, there were those cliques. Now, it’s not about the cliques, it’s about a caring friendship that, even though may only be words, are a lot when faced with some of the adversities of life.

And that brings me to the adversities. This past year has been a time that has made me really see what being a Pastor is all about. As I have said in the past blogs, I enjoy being there for the people, but this past year has been one of lots of joys – weddings, birth and baptisms, reunions, and fellowships. But I also have had some moments that have been “less than enjoyable”… moving away from some good friends, burying some, and many other memories. But I see my new Pastoral appointment as a “step up”, in regards to the sizes of my Mission Field and the size of the communities and churches in which I serve. This has made me realize that as I enter 2012, I will need to learn some more time management so that I can also have the personal time for “R & R”, as well as time for family and friends.

Overall, with some changes that have happened and are happening, I will resolve to continue to better my health in all aspects, so that I can keep working to do what I do.

And my prayer for everyone is the same – may you enter into the New Year, recognizing all of God’s graces and blessings in your life so you can always better yourself for the kingdom of God.

Can one put the past behind them?

One thing that, as a Pastor, I can never learn enough of is how to handle feelings.
Now on the surface, that might seem like a silly statement. Ah heck, let's just call it what it is - weird.

I was able to Skype with my youngest son's girlfriend last night. It was nice, considering my son seems to get busy with other things, and much to his girlfriend's nagging, doesn't call enough (do our grown kids every really call enough?). But in this nice conversation, the question came up about what I like and don't like about my job. The answer is pretty close to the same every time. The joys and concerns of the people.

I "like" my job because being there for people is what I do - I've been told by some high school classmates that I'm still in contact with that I've been like that for many years. Other Pastors have said that this is a great gift. OK... Thank you. But...
When people are hurt, one of the toughest things for me is to "destress" after the moment. It might be because someone has come into my office to tell me of an impending medical procedure. It might be because someone has passed away and I need to minister to the family. It might be that I am spending Christmas visiting people in the hospitals instead of going to be with my family and friends.

I have to admit that these feelings make me upset. By upset, I mean it in every sense of the word - sad, worrisome, whatever. I also mean "upset" by angry or mad. I'm like that because I'm so "Type A" that when there is nothing more that I can do other than have a conversation and prayer with the hurt person or people, I get frustrated, because in my mind, somehow, someway, there just has to be something more that can be done!

Right now, as I prepare for Sunday's Worship Services, I'm also preparing the list of joy and concerns from the previous week or two. Each name represents a hurt, scared, or pain in someone's life. I write the name on my notes so that I can give updates, and with each name, there is still pain, but somewhere, there is a glimmer of hope.

My secratary just left for the weekend. Her daughter is suffering from breast cancer. I was watching on "The Today Show" this morning where a TV Celebrity just had her double-mastectomy a couple of weeks ago (Click here to watch the interview). In my first Parish, I had a couple of ladies who was suffering breast cancer, and during that ordeal, found out that there was a couple of survivors within my Parish.

When faced with tragedies, how do we respond? We can always show support with ribbons or shaving our own heads, along with getting the word out. We can be compassionate when a family has faced a horrific incident, and give thanks as we watch cards and letters roll in from all over thew world, as I witnessed after the Von Maur Shooting in Omaha in which a family in my Parish had lost a son who was a hero to many people that day.
We can of course turn to prayer, and give thanks for the blessings we do have.

As I'm working on my Sermon for Sunday, I'm writing about how we are heirs through God, because Jesus was born under the law of the land so that those who were also born under the law (you and me) might receive adopton as children of God (Gal 4:4-7).

One thing I did see in the Today Show interview was how this celebrity and her husband and vowed that as they give each other that "New Year's kiss" at the stroke of midnight, to not look back on the past.

Maybe we should all do the same... Let's learn from the past, but not dwell on it. It's done, and it's over with. Let's move on and make 2012 a better year.
And for everyone who knows someone who is hurting, physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, let's help them get through this time as well. It's never easy.

So to you and yours, have a happy and blessed New Year!

"Another day" gone... (?)

I miss Christmas.
It's the day after, and I woke up realizing that I didn't get to watch as much of the "A Christmas Story" marathon as I wanted, or sit back and watch the movies I hoped to see, or the one thing I missed the most this year was being with my family.

In the movies, there is always scenes of how families come together on the Holiday and do something together. In the sentimental movies, everyone goes to Church and sits around at some point and shares memories. In the comedies, everyone is bickering because of some quirk or habit of someone else, which probably makes it a comedy because we're forced to face our own lives - realizing that there is or was that aunt or grandpa with the obnoxious habit or ideas (like Ralphie in A Christmas Story getting that pink bunny costume for Christmas)

Maybe all of this has to do with my granddaughter coming to visit me for a couple of days, or that in all I had to do on Christmas Eve, and then because Christmas fell on a Sunday again, I had a day of preaching, and then instead of doing what many others might have been doing on Christmas Day, I was visiting people in the hospital and detouring to a colleague's church so that I could have some sort of a Christmas meal between all of the other obligations I had. In all of that, my call home to my parents and siblings wasn't while I was sitting in my chair relaxing this year, as in years past - it was over a Bluetooth speakerphone through my cell phone as I was driving between cities. I remember thinking at one point that the next step will be having a driver and a secretary as I'm trying to get everything done... if I ever get to that point, it will surely be time to reassess and stop!

Now I'm not saying that it is someone else's fault by any means. I made the choices, past and present, in my life to be what and who I am, and I also made the decision to stay up late on Christmas Eve so that I could sit in a pew, listen to a Message, take Communion as a Parishioner, and sing worship as everyone does, so it was my doing to have limited sleep and such. I'm just saying that I miss some things.

• I do miss the comment or two about Christmas pictures. Any picture that my maternal grandmother took always seemed to me "off centered". As much as we might miss our loved ones, that is one quirk that I still chuckle about... look at any picture of my siblings and me as kids, and if it looks like the camera had to be turned about half an inch in the side, then we knew that Grandma Lyon took it.
• I miss picking at the cookies while walking through my mom's kitchen. As I said in one blog, there are cookies, and then there are mom's cookies.
• I miss the massive destruction of wrapping. After all of these years, I wonder why 'Santa' wasted so much time gift wrapping, knowing how us kids could totally destroy the paper. But as weird as this may seem, I also miss the cleaning up of all of that paper. I think it has to do with the realization of all that we received. And with four kids, there was a lot of paper. I wonder why 'Santa' never just threw a sheet over each kid's set of gifts and tag each one. Maybe it's because 'Santa' enjoyed it as well.
• As I was traveling from city to city to city on Christmas, I realized how much I missed the traveling from home to one grandparents' home and then to the other grandparents' home, and then back to the first, and then going home. I don't think I put on the miles yesterday as Dad would have back then, but the thought was there. Now I think I know why Dad could just "spin his finger in the air" and us kids knew that it meant to gather up our things because it was time to go.
• This year my niece had to wake up her parents (my sister and brother-in-law), not because it was Christmas, but because she wasn't feeling well. If you've kept up with the blogs, you know how we, as kids, would sneak around and wait for our parents to wake up so we could open the gifts. After all these years, my niece figured out the real way - get sick. (just kidding - because she was sick she had to skip out on going to my parents' place for Christmas, which she didn't like, and I hope that she's feeling better and enjoying her Christmas break). But again, I miss that "feeling" when waking up and wondering how long until we could "attack" the gifts.
• I miss the opportunity to spend my spare time duing Christmas and afterwards playing with Christmas gifts. Now that's not to say that I can't do that now, and there is some anticipation as I await a gift my brother is sending me, but maybe it is a sign of the times, or just that my schedule made things different this year, or just the "good ole' memories" sneaking into my mind. But that's ok this year - I'm relaxing, getting ready for my granddaughter to show up.
• I miss hanging off my roof, or out a bedroom window, or walking around a tree with a rake, while hanging Christmas lights. Some of the things we did to get the lights up when we were kids just amaze me so much now (but it worked!). But through the timing of some things and issues of other things, I wasn't able to get any lights or decorations done this year. In the Parsonage I'm appointed to now (my first year year), I have several evergreens, and one of them are being used for the "Tree of Lights" for one of the churches and is plugged into one of the outside outlets on the house. So I guess I can say that I'm not "totally" without decorations around me, but we'll see next year how the decoration ideas will come about. I have some of ideas and desires, but there are some things to take care of ahead of time.

There are plenty of other ideas and thoughts that will probably come to mind later in the day, week, or months ahead, but until then, "it is what it is".
As long as the KEY reason for celebrating Christmas is celebrating the birth of our Savior and the hope, love, joy, and peace that comes with it. Check.
We need to remember that Christmas isn't always about what we have, but what other don't. Check.
At all times, we need to remember that there are people that we associate with that can't "celebrate" because something has hit them hard at their work or in their lives that remind us to especially pray for them. Check.

So I guess I can say that as much as time have changed and things are different, Christmas was pretty good.

As the anticipation grows nearer...

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. For me, it's much different than when I was growing up.
As a kid, Christmas Eve meant going to church, maybe taking part in a Christmas program, and listening to the radio in my room as I went to sleep, listening to reports about where Santa was being tracked by NORAD. If you've watched my Facebook page, you've seen where I have posted some of their updates (now that we're in the age of computers, we don't have to depend on the radio like we used to - we can go to NORAD's website and get updates as they track Santa in real-time. NORAD even has some fun games to play, that I sometimes wish they could keep active all-year-round. Oh well.
But now that I'm a Pastor, Christmas Eve and Christmas take on a different meaning. It's not the waiting and waking up with anticipation - it's the "are the candles ready", "are the bulletins set", "are all of the doors unlocked", and "did we get that clogged toilet fixed".

I once listened to a speaker, Terry Teykl, talk to both clergy and laity. One thing he talked about is how clergy don't really "worship" as they should during Services. It's because of those silly little things that some people take for granted or never think of... One person might make a comment, but what about when 3 or 4 or 7 or 8 do? Ugh.
So I'm probably very "guilty" of "not worshiping". The reason is because of those "behind the scenes" things that people don't ever know about.
So this year, after my Christmas Eve Services, I'm going to go to a colleague's church so that I can worship. I may even fellowship at another church on Christmas Day after my Services where most people won't know me, and then I can go as a "regular" person and not "a Pastor".
(For some of you, I understand that it probably doesn't make a difference. But for others, it does - but that's another story)

So as I go to get my clothes ready for tomorrow, wherever or however you worship, say a silent prayer for your minister/priest/pastor/clergy.
And as you worship in whatever way you do, may your hearts be filled with the joy and peace of the Holiday Season!

Tis the Season to get OLD - Thanks Liberty!

My daughter-in-law posted on Facebook about my granddaughter (actually, her daughter - same difference), being a year and a half old today. I replied, joking that I thought that she was 18 months old. All of this after they had their Christmas pictures done the other day.

The photographer did a great job with getting my granddaughter to pose. Liberty has a cute smile, but she is an ornery one. She'll give ya a great smile, but on her time. She's always seemed to be like this. She'll smile, giggle, play, run around and shout, but as soon as the cameras come out, then it's straight-faced, serious, stone cold glares.
And to think that people think that I don't smile. HA!

Looking at these few pictures made me look back to pictures that I took right after she was born, and then just over a year ago when we went to a Petting Zoo.

Years go by, and we often lose track and what was when and who was where, but when it comes to children, it's amazing how fast we can lost track...they do grow up so fast. But the memories are so great. The silly moments, the loving moments, the caring moments. Maybe that's why the movie A Christmas Story is so popular - there is some part of it that touches some of us in some way, or brings back some memory (for example, for me, one is the number of plugs in the outlet - it reminds me of how my dad and brother and I would put all of the outdoor Christmas lights together and cover them with sandwich baggies or bread bags. I still wonder if there were a couple that bordered on "unsafe" sometimes. LOL)

But in how we look at it, whether it's 18 months or a year and a half, things can happen so fast.
18 months ago, I was holding my granddaughter with one hand, or had her cuddled in my arm, assuring her that grandpa is always going to be there for her.
A year and a half after my granddaughter was born, I'm watching her giggle and laugh and give silly smiles when I see her, taking her out to supper, and getting "muwah" kisses.
Yeah, I'm a proud grandpa.

Cherish the memories, and enjoy the special times.

It's the SHAPE of the Cookies!

When I was a kid, I remember my Mom working in the kitchen sometime before Christmas, baking all sorts of cookies. A couple that stick in my head were the Anise Cookies and Rocks.
What REALLY brings back memories are the sugar cookies with just the right amount of homemade frosting my mom would make with the cookie cutters of different Christmas shapes, and the one I remember the most was the "Santa carrying a bag" cutter. I don't know why I remember that one the most - maybe because I have never seen it anywhere else before or since then.
Until last week.

One of my churches was doing a Cookie Sale, and someone made some sugar cookies from cookie cutters just like the ones my Mom had when I was a kid. Just because it was the same shapes, I HAD to purchase some.

It's amazing how our senses bring back so many memories. Even the sight of those cookies made me remember Mom baking cookies all evening long.

But the cookies I bought the other day weren't as good as Mom made. Nothing would ever be as good, or frosted just right.

Oh, to be a kid at heart!

            For as long as I can remember, Christmas has been a time of not only celebrating the birth of Christ, but also a time for all of those great television specials.

            As a child, I was so interested in how Rudolph became the one to lead the sleigh that one foggy Christmas Eve, or how Kris Kringle overcame Burgermeister Meisterburger. But now as an adult, I am finding that I am more observant of these programs. I have even found online sites so that I have been able to go and confirm what I may have noticed.

            When noticing these things – when allowing our adult minds touch a childlike heart, we can see how much love and joy there is at Christmastime.

            For example, in the cartoon version of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966), I invite you to notice that the Grinch’s eye color is green, but while he hears the singing coming from Whoville after he has attempted to “steal” Christmas, not only does his heart change, but his eye color changes to blue.

            And something else that I found while discussing this with someone – in the beginning, his heart was two sizes too small, but later, it grew three times larger, so that would mean that the joy of Christmas from Whoville increased his heart to more than normal!

            Another program to take note of is “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965). Now, anyone who knows anything about good ole’ Linus knows that he can never part with that security blanket of his. But if you watch the program at the point where Linus walks out onto the stage and tells the Christmas Story from Luke’s Gospel, at the point when he says “”Fear not…” (Luke 2:10), he actually releases his security blanket and allows it to drop to the ground.

            “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” reminds us of 1 Thessalonians 5, where it says to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances. Even though the Grinch had “thought” he had just stolen Whoville’s Christmas, he come to realize that Christmas wasn’t about the material things like that presents or the trees, but instead, it was about celebrating with family and friends. When the Grinch felt that same rejoicing, he, too, changed as well.

            When Linus went out onto the stage to recite the story from Luke’s Gospel, in the words “fear not”, his own fears were released. He did not need his security blanket as he continued to tell about the birth of Jesus from chapter 2 of Luke’s Gospel, and how Christ’s birth brings peace and love to all people. His comfort came from a higher source.

            In closing, both of these classics have a common theme – material items or commercialization, versus the true meaning of Christmas. Maybe as we have gone shopping for a simple item and seen people pushing and shoving to get that special toy, we, too, have wanted to scream out as Charlie Brown did – “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about!”

            Let us remember the true meaning of the Holiday – hope, peace, joy, and love – as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In remembering the reason for this Holiday, I encourage you to celebrate at your place of worship, wherever that may be. If you do not yet have one, please find one that you are comfortable at, for this is a time when we celebrate together as one, rejoicing in the birth of our Savior.

            May your Christmas be blessed!

I believe, I believe...

Some of my recent posts have talked about what a Holy Day is, traditions, and fun memories. Yet I have to admit that I find it frustrating that people around me, whether in a daily capacity or just when I'm walking through the Mall, seem to not have a clue.
Darn it. Oh well.

Am I getting grumpy in my old age? Am I cynical because of working the Holiday (although I did find that a nearby Church is having a later Chriustmas Eve Service that will work out great so that I can go and worship)? Or have I just not gotten enough of "A Christmas Story" with Ralphie wanting his BB Gun?

BUT... That is why there is the Advent season - to remind us to prepare for the coming of Christ; to be ready for His return. That's why each Sunday of Advent has a theme to it - Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

So as I wait with HOPE, striving to be at PEACE, knowing the JOY that is in my heart because of the LOVE we receive from Christ, I know that even though I might seem like a Grinch, those who "just don't get it" will just give me a great reason to laugh. =)

What is Christmas all about?

The other day, I pointed out what my brother had mentioned - The TV Special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" had a lot of bullying in it - even, dare we say, from Santa at a point or two. Then today, I'm watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, and realize that it's about the commercialization of Christmas. And as it has happened year after year, people are harping about using "Christmas" versus "Xmas", or "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holiday".

So let's set a few things straight...

• The issues that we complain are "happening in the world today" were happening 45 years ago. A Charlie Brown Christmas is a story about Charlie Brown being "repelled by the commercialism he sees around him, (and so he) tries to find the true meaning of Christmas (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059026/). So enough complain already - we've been living like this for some time, so it's nothing new. Let's move on and live our lives and celebrate Christmas like we should - in an attitude of hope, peace, joy, and love.
• The early Christians spoke Greek. Christ, in Greek, is Chi, and it's written like this--> "X". So when someone wants to argue about how to spell Christmas, it's how you want to look at history. Chi has been used for over 1000 years... "Xmas" is the "Mass, or 'celebration' of Christ". And if you're about defending Christ, why are you fighting anyways?
• "Holiday" means "Holy Day". Yet it seems that many people will argue that saying "Holiday" is taking away from Christmas. So here's a thought - If someone wishes you a Happy Holy Day, thank them, and then respect the Holy Day.

Now with that being said, let's remember why we celebrate the Holy Day of Christmas. Let's remember 2nd Peter 3 - Be striving to be at peace.

Glory be to God - not our fights.
Amen.

Poor Rudolph

Now as one of my blog-followers might read this, I hope that they don't think I'm copying from them... I actually noticed the same thing, but I wondered - do you question such a classic?

Poor old Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer... Had a very shiny nose. Even if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows.
But Santa had a problem with it.

Yeah - Santa belittled poor baby Rudolph, bragging with that "Jingle Jingle Jingle, I'm ole Kris Kringle" song, because it was a BAD thing that Rudolph was different.
If yo don't believe me, go back and watch it. The adults - his dad, his coach, and Santa - those that Rudolph were suppose to be able to go to if he felt that he was being bullied - were the ones picking on him.

Now before you go all ACLU on me, yes, this show is an old classic, and it's probably not the intention that the makers of the show that  I, too, have loved for as long as I can remember, but after all of this time, something as silly as this stands out.........

But how come bullying in today's society doesn't stand out like it should? How come we turn a blind eye to it?

Last night, I watched Extreme Makeover - Home Improvement. The team built a house for a family that lost an 11 year-old boy to suicide because he had been bullied.
Now when it comes to kids being bullied, some might say "suck it up", but that only works for so long, if at all.

The family of this 11 year old boy started a campaign to stand together against bullying. I'm number 66,223. In the time that it took for me to post my picture, over 500 more people took the pledge. You can find out more at the STAND TOGETHER website. All sorts of people have taken the pledge, including rock stars, sports stars, and even WWE Super Star John Cena (and I double-dog dare anyone to mess with that guy! Or worse yet, if he "took care of the situations? Ouch!)

As we continue in our Advent Journey, let's find a way to be a people of PEACE...