Advent Journey Day 18

We watched a most delightful documentary tonight called "Becoming Santa."  It was about a man who wanted to add some joy to his life so he decided to go to Santa School (I know, right, who knew this existed?!) in order to take on the role.  It was surprisingly good and quite well done.  You can get it on Netflix if you are a subscriber.
I have quite a few Santas in my house.  

This guy sits up on atop our china cabinet watching over the living room.  He's big and lovely, all set for the Scandinavian winter with his skis in tow...although this year we've barely had a flake so it's a good thing he has sturdy boots too because it's mainly mud he needs to trudge through!  But as I watched film, I was struck by the wonder that Santa's presence brings into children's lives.  I suppose that's why it's fun to believe in Santa Claus and perpetuate the myth.  Have you ever played Santa?  It's pretty fun.  Kids love you and even if they know who you are, suddenly they are taken to a new place with you.  One of the more memorable lines in the film was how people find their bliss and live into it.  Have you ever considered what your bliss is?  And are you living into it? What brings you joy?  And what are you doing that brings others joy?  Often our deepest joy comes from bringing happiness to others.  I've been baking cookies and making toffee and having people over.  It's what I do at Christmas.  It makes me happy and it brings others joy.  What a great combination!  
I think that's why Jesus has told us that our deepest joy will be found in serving others.  It gives witness to the paradoxical truth that putting others first is good for others, but it's also good for us!  So find your bliss!  Wrap up a goofy white elephant present and have a good laugh with friends. Watch outtakes from a funny movie.  Do something nice for someone in secret and savor the joy you have brought into another person's life.  Maybe in our own little way it's how we all become a little more like Santa, oh and hopefully a little more like Jesus too.
Oh, and if you haven't seen anything that brings you joy today, here's a picture of one of Santa's reindeers that somehow ended up on our bed.

It's quite impossible in my mind to look at this and not be filled with joy!  HoHoHo. 

Advent Journey Day 8: Second Sunday in Advent

The Advent Journey continued today with the lighting of the second candle.  A lovely family from Zambia read the liturgy today.  The light is growing stronger.  I hope you feel the warmth and brightness of Christ shining on you.  We shared in Holy Communion today as well.  What better way to encounter the tangible grace of God than around the table that He prepares and invites us to. 

Reader 1: Peace is a word that we hear a lot. It is one of the things that we hope for. Christ brought peace when he first came to us and he will bring everlasting peace when he comes again. The prophet Isaiah called Christ "the Prince of Peace". When Jesus came, he taught people the importance of being peace makers. He said that those who make peace shall be called the children of God.

Reader 2: On this second Sunday of Advent we choose to be a peaceful presence in this midst of a frantic season. We light the candle of peace to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace and that through him peace is found.

Light the second purple candle here.

Reader 3: Peace is like a light shining in a dark place. As we look at this candle we celebrate the peace we find in Jesus Christ. We light this candle as symbol of God's light shining in the darkness. The Light has come into the world and it shines as brightly now as it did then. The darkness didn't overcome it then and it never will.

Reader 4: Let us pray:

Thank you God for the peace you give us. In this season of hustle and bustle we are tempted to get frantic and join the panic to shop our way into the holiday spirit. In this moment, help us to resist that temptation and choose instead to be at peace with you and with others. Thank you for being our prince of peace. Help us today, and everyday to worship you, to hear your word, and to do your will by sharing your peace with each other. We ask it in the name of the one who was born in Bethlehem, Jesus, the one who taught us to pray saying: Our Father in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial. Deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

May your week be marked of moments of peace...the peace that passes all understanding, especially when seeking to cope with things that are hard to understand.  

Advent Journey Day 5

Each Sunday during the season of Advent, we have a special candle lighting ritual.  It always ends like this: "We light this candle as symbol of God's light shining in the darkness. The Light has come into the world and it shines as brightly now as it did then. The darkness didn't overcome it then and it never will."  
Today I am thankful that darkness will never overcome the light of Christ.  It is dark in Sweden now.  It takes a good long while for daybreak to occur.  Today the sunrise is scheduled for 8.24 a.m. and sunset will follow at 14.52.  That's only about 6.5 hours of daylight right now.  Having our advent lights in our windows is a great gift as the soft glow of the little lamps that burn 24/7 brighten the darkness that now envelopes us.  But it isn't really the physical darkness that is on my heart today.  It is the darkness of difficulty that certain loved ones are mired in just now that makes the promise of Christ's light shining in the dark places especially meaningful.  Our niece, who has cerebral palsy, had major spine surgery a few weeks back.  While she is one tough cookie, this has certainly not been easy.  She faced a set-back this week in that the incision site is infected so they have to go back in today for another surgery to clean out the wound.  She had returned to school for a half day, which she LOVES, and now she has to return to the hospital, which she does NOT love.  She maintains a fairly sunny outlook and brings blessing to all who encounter her but even so...it feels a little dark for her right now.  Lord Jesus, shine your light in a bright and profound way on little Eva today...bring comfort and healing where it is needed.  
Additionally, her mom, one of Doug's sisters, is fighting cancer.  She has been fighting breast cancer for 15 years, and stage IV breast cancer for the past 7.  Eva surely gets some of her fighting spirit from Jan.  But the rounds of chemo take a huge toll on her system and wipe her out totally for a few days each month.  Sometimes I wonder why her family has to carry such a load.  I don't fully understand it.  I never will.  But I trust that God journeys with them, promising to share their very heavy load.  We pray for Jan as well, that healing will come to her body, that restoration will occur, that somehow in the midst of the darkness that ailing health brings to her life, she will be buoyed by the light of Christ which provides eternal hope and encouragement.  If you are so inclined, please keep Jan and Eva and the rest of their family in your prayers this advent season.
Today I am thankful for this promise from John's gospel, that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it.  Ever.  

Advent Journey Day 3

Now the house is decorated and it's cozy and nice.  But before that could happen we had to drag the boxes filled with our Christmas stuff up from the basement storage unit.  I don't know why but I find this to be such a chore.  Thankfully, Doug did it for me!  But then, it is such a joy to open each box and carefully unwrap our Christmas decorations.  Memories pour out of those boxes as I am reminded of where things came from.  I love thinking about where to put them in our house.  Some things have a permanent spot, others I like to move around a bit.  Best of all is the end of the day, when the unpacked boxes have been returned to the basement and the decorations are strewn throughout our house.  Last night we lit candles and enjoyed the coziness of the freshly decorated rooms.  Today includes a trip to Ikea to buy flowers and candles.  We have our first holiday gathering tonight with the Young Adult's Bible Study group from church.  I love welcoming people into our home when it's fully decorated for Christmas.
It's definitely a process getting the house ready for Christmas.  But it's so worth it when we finish.  I am inspired to welcome others into our home and look forward to the joy our home will bring to us over the next several weeks.  
Being mindful about Advent is also a process.  But by daily unpacking the concerns of our hearts and spending time pondering what the season is all about, great reward awaits us.  We can learn to enjoy cozy times with God as well as we allow him to cast the light of Christ on our lives.

Day 27: Excitement

Our journey is almost over!  It is the evening before Christmas Eve!  When I finished my sermon for Sunday I felt excitement.  Yes, I was excited that the writing task for the week was behind me, but even more than that, I was excited that what I had written and what I will say on Sunday is really good news! In listening to some wonderful music today, Michael Card's The Promise and City on a Hill Christmas Collection, I was reminded through some lyrics as well that God is with us, he has sent his Son to bring peace and righteousness and salvation to a dark and broken world.  The message of Christmas is good news of great joy and we are on the brink of celebrating this reality in all its glorious fullness once again!  I am excited!  Excited for the services we'll share in on Saturday and Sunday.  Excited to have Doug's sister Beth and her husband Chuck with us.  Excited to enjoy time with close friends over the next couple of days.  Excited that our advent journey has delivered us to the stable, where the Son of God enters our world and abides with us.  I hope you are excited too.  Good news of great joy awaits us.  The journey through advent is almost complete.  But so much still awaits us!  I am anticipating it all with eager expectation and excitement!

Day 16: Just for Today

We're more than half way through our Advent journey.  How are you doing? Some of the poinsettias in my home are drooping a bit and maybe I am too.   Fatigue is setting in.  The excitement and wonder of the season is wearing off just a bit.  The dazzling light isn't quite as dazzling today.  One more Sunday in Advent, then Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship celebrations this year with the high holy days falling on the weekend.  Will I have the energy and creativity to produce another good sermon?  Will I have the energy and excitement to host three more holiday gatherings?  Can I overcome some of the stress of daily life in order to find the quiet spot in each day where I savor the devotional reading that I'm seeking to accomplish each day during this journey?  Do I have enough ideas in me to keep writing this blog every day?

I don't know if I have two more weeks of this in me, but I do know that I have another day and that's all that really matters.  Just for today, I can find time to read, write, and savor the moment.  Just for today, I can appreciate the wonder of the Christ child's coming into our world once again.  

When we pray the Lord's prayer, we ask that God give us THIS day our daily bread and He does.  We can feel nervous if we want more than what we need just for today, but that's our problem not God's.  So just for today, find a moment, and it may be just a moment, to consider that in the midst of all that you are doing, God is busy readying the world for the celebration of the birth of his Son once again.  Just for today, know that our journey is not in vain, for as we wait for Christmas to be upon us, God is waiting to shower us with his love.  So even if the holiday lights are no longer dazzling, the light that is Christ is beckoning us to take just one more step in our advent journey.  I have another step in me.  How 'bout you?