Happy Birthday, Jesus

     For the first time in many years, I  sent Christmas cards.  My plan was to send cards  to the people who are on our church’s “needs pastoral care” list.  However, when I  was looking at the boxed cards, this message spoke to me:

During this Christmas Season—May you be blessed -

With the spirit of the season—which is peace

The gladness of the season—which is hope

And the heart of the season—which is love

     And except for JOY those words were the basis for my Advent musings this year.  So I purchased a couple of boxes and as I began to address them I thought of these words  - Christmas makes you feel emotional; It may bring parties or thoughts devotional, Whatever happens or what may be, Here is what Christmas time means to me.    
     Silver Bells goes on to list all the fun activities of Christmas, but what I think is that Christmas means peace, hope and love.  The peace that passes understanding, the hope of the world, God’s love for the world—

     As I continued to address the cards, the list grew and I made my way back to the store only to find that the cards I really liked were gone.  I hurriedly chose another box with a pretty church on the front.  I didn’t take time to read what the printed words inside the card said.  I was appalled.  Happy Holidays??? And then I remembered that the etymology of the word holiday is Holy Day.  And what more Holy Day than the day that we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
     Sometimes that birth is celebrated in song - which may be my favorite part of the Christmas season.

     This year I have heard musical offerings at four different churches and I especially enjoyed the orchestral presentation before our traditional Christmas Eve service at the Episcopal Church of Our Saviour.
     All of it has been lovely, but my favorite was when a little girl, dressed as an angel, stepped to a microphone and began to sing "Happy Birthday, Jesus, I'm so glad it's Christmas, All the tinsel and lights and the presents are nice but the real gift is You" (origination unknown).
     Most of the time, that little girl is bubbly, joyful  and effervescent.  In fact that is my nickname for my fifth grandchild. But this time she was most serious and intentional.
     At the end of the program I made my way to give her a hug and asked "Where did you get that pretty voice?"

     She put her hand on her chest and said "from my heart".

     Which in my mind let me know that that she knows what this holiday - a holy day - is really  about. 
     We have made our way through Advent - recognized hope, prayed for peace, experienced joy and shared love. 
     And now the center candle in the Advent wreath has been lit. That candle represents what this is really all about.  Because no matter the greeting - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays - or even - oh help "Merry Xmas", the reason we have this Holy Day at all - is because that's when we recognize His birth.
      Happy Birthday, Jesus.

 

 

Until you give it away

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent.  Traditionally, we light the candle of LOVE on this day.

For more than 50 years I have been a Sound of Music fanatic.  I frequently reference songs from both the Broadway and screen version of the VonTrapp family's life.  From a determined attitude that proclaims "I've got Confidence" to understanding that "when God closes a door, He opens a window", and being willing to "Climb every mountain – till I find my dream."

I love the part when Maria and the Captain have returned from their honeymoon to find Liesl heartbroken because Rolf has become far more interested in the Third Reich than in her. Maria shares these words of advice:  "“A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it - A song's not a song 'til you sing it - Love in your heart wasn't put there to stay - Love isn't love 'til you give it away!”

Of course when we think of Christmas and love, it's God's love and the gift of His son to become our Saviour.

That was the emphasis in our family when I was growing up.  It was all about the birth of Jesus.  Santa Claus represented the spirit of Giving.  We did not believe in the man in a red suit and a beard.

My sister, Cindy, and I do however remember that we often left Cheezits and a coca cola for Santa Claus because our daddy liked that better than milk and cookies.  And I sometimes sprinkle Cheezits on our daddy's grave at this time of the year -'just a way of remembering.

Now just because we didn't really believe in Santa Claus, we did really believe in presents.  And I have many precious memories of the presents received and given.

And it truly was all about love.

Bible teacher, Chuck Swindoll suggests that we should not wait until Christmas for gift giving.  He suggests the gift of a complement, words of encouragement and even something as simple as the gift of a smile.  I thought of some of those intangible gifts I have received in 2014 and been very grateful

I recently learned about an organization called The Giving Keys (http://www.thegivingkeys.com). According to the tag line on the website, "When you get this key, you must give it away".  The purchaser chooses a word (faith, hope, love, encourage, strength for example) which is inscribed on the key.

It then becomes the recipient's responsibility to give the key to someone else.  The founder of The Giving Keys is actress and songwriter, Caitlin Crosby who saw that we are like old keys – "unique, flawed, scarred…and at the risk of being discarded".  She wanted the keys to their purpose renewed. 

In Little Women, Jo is quoted as saying that it won't be Christmas without presents.  Who am I to think I should change the words of an author of Louisa May Alcott's stature?  However -
 "It won't be Christmas without the giving!"
 

One of the goals of the Giving Keys organization is helping the homeless. If you are interested in helping the homeless in Jacksonville, check out Church without Walls, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. 

J O Y

"I bring you good news of great joy"

Yeah right.

No, really.

Not only did the angels tell the shepherds they had tidings of great joy (because a Saviour had been born in Bethlehem), I can also tell you things that are joyful.  No I can tell you how to be joyful.

And I am sorry if it seems like I am boasting...but well here are the words of a song I learned when I was a little girl:

Jesus and Others and You - What a wonderful way to spell JOY

Jesus and Others and You - In the heart of each girl and each boy

J is for Jesus, let Him have first place

O is for Others you meet face to face

Y is for you in whatever you do

So put yourself last and spell JOY.

The third candle of Advent is JOY

Even when it seems you don't have anything to be joyful about.

Like the first Christmas that my children and I were learning to be a single parent family.

And (both good and bad) we were plopped right down in the middle of friends and family where there were both a mom and a dad and where (or so it seemed to us) there was lots more Santa Claus.

I was probably way too honest with my children.  They really believed that there was going to be NO Santa Claus.  At least that's what Renee and Tray portrayed to the Sunday school teachers.

I don't know which one of them was the actual voice during prayer request time.
I do know that somehow - early in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, 1982,  two bicycles appeared on the side porch and on Christmas morning in addition to the gifts from this Santa Claus, Renee and Tray both had new bikes (though used)..

All these years later that memory still makes me smile.  And remembering that time comforts me even when I am sad today.  No need to list the things I am sad about - just know 2014 has included circumstances that left me searching for - JOY

"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name for His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:4-6)


Which being said makes these words more about HOPE.

Sleep in heavenly peace

Heavenly peace???What is that?
     What is peace anyway?Is it the absence of war?  In addition to being the second Sunday of Advent, today is the 73rd anniversary of  what President Franklin Roosevelt called "a day that will live on in infamy", the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
     Pearl Harbor signaled the beginning of one  the most deadly conflicts that our country has ever experienced - World War II.
    That's it...peace is the absence of conflict.  I am not a fan of conflict.
     I've been known to leave the conversation when there is conflict.  Sometimes I've been known to leave the room in haste (not some of my finest moments, I must admit).
     While I know and appreciate the fact that God made us all different and I really don't think everyone should think "just like me", I get nervous when there's a disagreement.  And it doesn't matter what the disagreement centers on.
     I have found, however, that sometimes conflict is necessary.  It certainly was necessary when our ships were destroyed and lives lost at Pearl Harbor.  But is it necessary when we are attacked personally?
     Recently I heard a very strong word used in describing how I had treated someone in a meeting. I was shocked.   Talk about not wanting to be a part of conflict.  I wanted to run out of the room, but I knew that wouldn't be professional.
     I really didn't think I was guilty as charged.  It took me a while, but in time, I avoided conflict.  I asked for forgiveness. I chose peace.
     Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had to choose peace as well.  In the midst of the Civil War, he had lost his wife in a fire and his son had been severely wounded as a Union soldier.  On Christmas Day in 1863, Wadsworth heard the Christmas bells ringing.  As you read the words he wrote, I think you will see that he had to "work through" making a choice - and that he too chose peace:


"I heard the bells on Christmas Day;  Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet, The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Then from each black, accursed mouth  The cannon thundered in the South,
And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
It was as if an earthquake rent  The hearth-stones of a continent,  And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;  "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:  "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail,  With peace on earth, good-will to men".


He chose, I choose - peace! I hope you do too.


" And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).