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...