It's Merry Christmas not happy holidays! Really?

I am bemused by the "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" debate. Is this the message of Christ mas? Did Christ teach us to defend our rights to celebrate our holidays; did he teach us to protect those rights at the peril of alienating those of other faiths?  

Christ tells us to love, do good, bless, pray for our friends, and those who agree with us? No, but to do these things for our enemies:

 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from the one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.(Luke 6:27-30)

Are we really being attacked, are we really suffering when someone says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas? Are the ones who say Happy Holidays really our enemies? 

There are Christians in other parts of the world who lives are in danger for proclaiming their faith in Christ, and we here in North America are upset because the teller at the bank or the circulation clerk at the library says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas! 

Christ did not die to give us another holiday to celebrate; he died to give us new life. He died because as fun as holidays are, they don't heal men and women's souls. 

He gave us a message to proclaim. The message that Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ has risen and lives today. His message has not changed in over two thousand years; he still proclaims,

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28 & 29)

When someone says "Happy Holidays" this season, bless them. 

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!

Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!

Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love

Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!

How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!

How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;

How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!

’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;

And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee. (Thomas Williams)

Tapestry

Our loved ones never really leave us; we carry them with us forever.

 I wake up thinking of mom, her smile, her joy at seeing her family arrive unexpectedly in church on Mother's day. I see her outstretched arms as she greets her children and grandchildren. I see her reach way up to give her tall son-in-law and hug.  I can see her fretting around the kitchen on Christmas day. I still feel her pain as I remember her tears as she said good-bye to two sons. The words "he's no longer in pain" ring in my ears, when talking about Paul's death. Her unwavering faith in her Father God's goodness inspires me. Her love and acceptance of others tempers my behaviour.

 I hear a song and it reminds me of Paul, his shy smile, the silly expressions he used like "gaganoons!" and "hold onto your hats we're going for a hay ride!" I remember the joy on his face every month as he received another "book of the month" as a child. I picture us playing games well into the night to ward off the nightmares he experienced. The look of pride on his face as he held his first niece Tina fills my mind. Paul's struggle with mental illness has given me a tender heart toward those who struggle with addictions, depression or other illnesses. It has taught me to realize that often the people the world considers weak or even lazy are anything but.

 Some one tells me about a broken TV and I am instantly reminded of David who could fix almost anything electronic. I remember David running pretty much everywhere as a kid and young man. I think of the funny voices he used at times. How he loved to use our video camera saying " I prefer to be behind the camera not in front of it" in a sort of Groucho Marks voice.  I remember his love for scary movies and anything American. I can see David's enthusiasm for seat belts until it became the law to wear one, then he would mutter "strapped down like an animal!" David's differentness has made me sensitive to those we consider the "other." When I meet someone "different", it reminds of David's longing to be accepted and it influences my attitude.

 Our loved ones never leave us; we carry them with us forever. However, it is more than just memories we carry and our lives are more than just touched by those closest to us; their essence is intertwined with ours. We look at our lives and cannot pull the threads of our loved ones lives from ours.  Their lives mesh with ours and create the tapestry that is life.

 

The Father of All fathers

Mother's day is approaching but lately I find myself thinking more about fathers and what that name means.

For some the word father means one who abuses his authority because he can. Most fathers are bigger and stronger than their wives and all tower over their children. Some use their strength to abuse or tyrannize their families. For others the word father means neglect, disinterest, distance and even abandonment. For some father means shame or guilt.

For some the sound of father returning home is not a welcome sound, for some the sound of father's footsteps does not fill them with confidence but dread.

Over the years I have come to know my God as my Heavenly Father. I have discovered him to be the true perfect Father of all fathers. He is fully trustworthy and loving. God my Father wants the best for me and he knows without a doubt what that is. He is the one I can put my full trust in and know that he will never betray or abuse it. He uses his power and authority to do good. He is perfect love.

When I turn to him I find forgiveness and grace. When I come to him with my problems he does not spew out blame or shame he listens and guides me. When I come to him hurting he does not turn his face away but takes me in his arms and says "peace, be still."

I have found peace and rest in my Father.




"See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are!" 1 John 3 vs. 1

All For Love

by Mia Fieldes

All for love a Father gave.. For only love could make a way... All for love the heavens cried.. For love was crucified.

Oh, how many times have I broken your heart... But still you forgive if only I ask..
And how many times have you heard me pray..Draw near to me..

Everything I need is You
My beginning and forever
Everything I need is You

Let me sing all for love.. I will join the angel song. Ever Holy is the Lord, King of Glory, King of All.

All for love a Saviour prayer.. Abba Father have your way.. Though they know not what they do.. Let the cross draw man to you

Christmas 1999

This morning I've been thinking about the Christmas of 1999. That was the year my brother David died.

Several days before Christmas my dad called. His statement was stark, void of embellishment, just the naked truth "David's dead". It struck me like a sudden slap, stunned me and I couldn't think. I hung up the phone without asking any questions, went and told the children that Uncle David had died and then called Pete. He asked me a barrage of questions I couldn't answer then I went and sat down by myself. It wasn't long before Grace came and sat with me, held my hand and said some simple words of empathy. Her actions and words wrapped themselves around me like a blanket. I didn't want to move, didn't know if I could, but Christmas was coming, it loomed overhead like a thick purple snow cloud. How were we going to get through it?

Christmas came closer, my parents came, broken and in pain and without David. I wondered how are we going to get through it? My brother Rob, sister-in-law Marian and their children came and again I thought, how?
We got through it. In the midst of our grief we had each other, we had the children and we had hope. We found the spark of joy in the darkness.

Christmas time is no different than any other time of the year when it comes to human suffering.
People die and loved ones grieve.
Families shatter.
People suffer loneliness and depression.
Hospitals are busy.

My family had each other and we held each other up. We had the children and they made us smile. We have Jesus and he gives us hope.
There are those who don't have what we have and are shut out of the light and warmth.

The lesson Jesus taught me through my pain is that instead of pursuing the spirit of Christmas there is more meaning in embracing the Spirit of Chirst and praying for and giving to others.
There are so many opportunities to give at Christmas, the local toy and food drive, the Red Cross, World Vision, Compassion, the Salvation Army and perhaps even an extended invitation to Chirstmas dinner.
To quote Jesus ..."the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28
Whatever we do is only a small measure of what Jesus did for us but it is still worth doing. If we all do just a few small things there may be a few more smiles and a bit more light this Christmas.

The most wonderful thing about embracing the Spirit of Christ is that he doesn't abandon us after the decorations are down and tree has become compost.

Perfect Christ-mas

For many people Christmas is a wonderful time of year. They love everything about it and talk about the Christmas Spirit. I must be honest. The thought of Christmas coming fills me with a sense of dread. My stomach clenches, I wake up in the mornings with clenched jaws and a headache. Why?

Christmas for me is a hectic time. I love giving gifts but can't stand shopping or malls. I feel pressure to have the house decorated just perfectly, have scads of baking done and the presents wrapped expertly and under the tree before December 24th and still study for exams, go to work, do laundry, housework, cook meals and this year get a house ready to sell!

I love Christ. I love that God lowered himself to be born in the same manner that all humans are born, but in a primitive barn. "He made himself lower than the angels" and he did it for love.

I love family. I love the gathering of family, the joy and the laughter of those who love one another deeply.

I love giving and, Christmas is a perfect time for that.

I don't love the sense that we must somehow create the Perfect Christmas, that we must create the perfect memories and traditions.

Every year I need to remind myself that if our house doesn't resemble the home on the Christmas edition of Good Housekeeping, and if my family has to eat store bought baking this year, that does not make Christmas a failure. Every year I need to remind myself to relax and remember what is really important.

Jesus Christ was born, not so that we could have a winter holiday, drink eggnog, attend concerts, or even so that we can gather with loved ones around the Christmas tree. He was not born so that once a year we could have some sort hazy feeling called the Spirit of Christmas. Then on December 26 rush madly out to boxing day sales where we swear at those who take our parking spaces and urgently grasp at the best deals of the year.

Jesus was born into a world of hopelessness, at a dark time in the history of a nation in order to be the world's Hope and Light.  Christ was born to be a sacrifice. The perfect lamb for the forgiveness of sin, our sin. He was born with blood and water destined to die a bloody, tortuous death by crucifixion, and he did it out of love.

The most important thing about Christmas is not to create the perfect spirit of Christmas but to answer Jesus' question. "Who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15)

We don't need a fat man in a red suit, a star on a Christmas tree, a turkey dinner. We need what God has to offer, the gift of the Spirit of his One True Son living in us 365 days a year, year after year. This is what I need to remember.

Springs of Living Water

Before I met Jesus I was thirsty. I drank from many wells but came away more thirsty. I was a pre-teen pariah so I checked out the well of the cool. I thought I'd found my circle but it turned out I was a square and the water was polluted. I drank the party life and woke the next morning with a hangover thinking never again. Several days later I'd wake with another hangover. One day I said enough I'll try the well of human affection but that well ran dry quickly.

 

I knew where the best water was. The coolest, freshest, living water. I didn't want to go there, it meant abandoning the other wells I'd dug. I didn't care that the water of one was polluted, another brackish and one completely dry they were my wells and I wanted them.

 

I didn't know the joy of drinking cool, fresh water. I didn't know the comfort of having a source of living water.

 

One day Jesus met me at one of my wells and he said, "so how's the water?"

I said "not the best but its all I have so I guess it will have to do." 

He said to me "why settle? My water really is the best and it never runs out."

"Jesus, I'm afraid. I don't want to be dissappointed, left sick with dysentery, in pain and thirsty again.

Jesus said "Trust me." 

 

On a day when I was sick with dysentery, in pain and thirsty Jesus words came back. I was sobbing hot tears and I heard him say, "trust me." At that moment I decided to abandon my wells and let him lead me. 

 

There have been tears in my life. I have walked throught the valley of Baca (lamentation). Jesus is the spring in those thirsty lands. Jesus causes the deserts to bloom. He is my strength, comfort, peace and joy.  

 

Psalm 84

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
 Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
ever singing your praise! Selah

 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
 As they go through the Valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
each one appears before God in Zion.

 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed!

 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
blessed is the one who trusts in you!

 

 

Cross references:

1. Psalm 84:1 : Ps. 8, title; 81, title
2. Psalm 84:1 : Ps. 42, title
3. Psalm 84:1 : [Ps. 27:4]
4. Psalm 84:1 : Ps. 43:3; 132:5
5. Psalm 84:2 : [Ps. 42:1, 2; 63:1]
6. Psalm 84:2 : [Ps. 73:26; 119:81; 143:6; Job 19:27]
7. Psalm 84:2 : See Ps. 42:2
8. Psalm 84:3 : Ps. 5:2
9. Psalm 84:4 : See Ps. 65:4
10. Psalm 84:4 : Ps. 42:5, 11; 43:5
11. Psalm 84:5 : [Ps. 122:1]
12. Psalm 84:6 : Joel 2:23
13. Psalm 84:6 : Ezek. 34:26
14. Psalm 84:7 : Prov. 4:18; Isa. 40:31; [John 1:16; 2 Cor. 3:18]
15. Psalm 84:7 : See Ps. 42:2
16. Psalm 84:8 : See Ps. 59:5
17. Psalm 84:9 : Ps. 80:14
18. Psalm 84:9 : See Ps. 3:3
19. Psalm 84:10 : ver. 2
20. Psalm 84:10 : 1 Chr. 26:19
21. Psalm 84:11 : Isa. 60:19, 20; See Ps. 27:1; Mal. 4:2; Rev. 21:23
22. Psalm 84:11 : [See ver. 9 above]; See Ps. 3:3
23. Psalm 84:11 : Ps. 85:12; [Ps. 34:9, 10; Matt. 6:33; 7:11]
24. Psalm 84:11 : Ps. 15:2; Prov. 2:7
25. Psalm 84:12 : See Ps. 2:12

Here in the grace of God

Today my bible reading was the story of Jesus calming the storm.

"Then he [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." (Matthew 8:23-26)


  In the past when I read this passage I heard Jesus speaking angrily, gruffly as though saying "oh man not again, when are these people ever going to learn!" For the first time I heard a different tone in Jesus voice. I heard him speak gently to his disciples, without annoyance, anger or harshness but gently as though teaching children a lesson.

Reading this story reminded me of I Corinthians 13 so I read it too. These passages stood out to me, 1 Cor 13:4-7 "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Reading 1 Cor 13 reminded me of Matthew 7:1-5. In this passage Jesus tells us not to judge others and says "In the same way you judge others you will be judged...first take the plank out of your own eye."

I realized that I don't love the way Jesus loves. I get irritable with others, am often easily angered, I don't bear all things, I am arrogant and rude at times, I don't always let go of wrongs but hang onto them. In short, I fall short and am in need of God's love, grace and forgiveness daily. But I don't always grant grace to others.

It amazes me how patient Jesus is with me. He didn't simply forgive me, he went to the cross for me. He made the ultimate sacrifice for me.

Who am I to withhold forgiveness, grace? Who am I to recount my neighbours wrongs against me?

"Here in the grace of God I stand."(Dave Bilbrough)

When I see my grievances in the light of Jesus cross, I see the pettiness and the grubbiness of my own heart and I repent.  Once again  I stand amazed at his love and his patience. It is his goodness that inspires me to let go of my paltry complaints and ask him to create a clean heart within me.

Love divine, all loves excelling,

Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
'Til in heaven we take our place,
'Til we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise. (Charles Wesley)

I love this hymn but the last verse always gets to me. When we stand before this LORD who is love what will we do. We will realize our own "crowns" are nothing and will cast them down before Him who has the right to be called the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.