I Wonder--December 21

Today I got an early start on some of my tasks, and as I worked I discovered a blessing. . . 

In a little while I have several deliveries to facilitate for the church. Donations of furniture and food are coming this way. But in order to get those items, I needed to clear out the leftover recycling from our most recent turkey giveaway. 

The old scout trailer was full of broken down boxes which needed to be run off to the recycling center. So, I put on a podcast and took three trips to McConnells to handle this task. It was during the second trip that I noticed the blessing.

As I pulled the car up to the fellowship hall door to load up the last of the boxes, I saw the door to the Blessing Box hanging open. Now this happens from time to time. Some folks forget to close the door and/or latch it. When that happens normally I walk over and resolve the issue. But this time that was not going to work; I could not close the box. Something was sticking out. 

I was curious so I took an extra lap around the parking lot to investigate. Sticking out of the Blessing Box are two boxes of toys. Pulling away from the Box I thanked God and I began to wonder. . . 

Normally the Blessing Box is filled with food and toiletry items. We like to put practical things in there that can help the people of this community who are in need. Toys are not normally part of the plan. But at Christmas, when the need for Blessings is a bit greater and more pronounced, someone felt the Holy Spirit tug on their heart. 

And so someone, likely the next person who comes to the Blessing Box, will be given an additional Christmas gift--and that gift will likely bless a child from their family. 

There are just a couple days remaining in Advent. Christmas is Monday. I wonder who do you know who might need an extra Christmas blessing? What does that blessing look like for them, and is God offering you another chance to partner with Him in caring for someone else? 

  

I Wonder--December 19

So are you ready? Are all the gifts purchased and wrapped? Do they sit under the tree ready for Monday morning, or like us, do you have them neatly stacked on the hearth or some other common location in your home?

The time is almost up. . . and that realization comes with a mixture of emotions.  

Today after lunch I will purchase a final gift for Emma that will sit nicely in her stocking. Then all my Christmas obligations will be handled. (And yes, that was a deliberate word choice). 

Christmas feels so obligatory; it feels like a beast to tame. I know that walking into the store to get Emma's final gift will be a test of patience. The hustle and bustle will press down around me and I will want to retreat to my audiobook and remove myself the community entirely. . . 

But is that what we are supposed to do? 

Does the Incarnation of Jesus, and the joy of Christmas, ask us to retreat? To pull back? Does Jesus ask us to roll our eyes or silently ridicule another person whose is causing us to alter our timing and pacing?

In that case, I wonder if any of us are truly ready for Christmas? Perhaps this final week before Christmas offers us a chance to encounter our community differently? Perhaps God is showing us an opportunity where we can extend the miracle of the incarnation into the life of another person. 

I wonder if this week, as you too venture back out to finish your preparations, I wonder if you will notice the people around you and ask God how he would have you care for them? 

I Wonder--December 13

I had an interesting conversation today with some colleagues as we considered Zechariah that I want to share with you. 

As you know Zechariah was the father of John the Baptist. You also might remember that he was struck mute by God because he did not believe what the Angel of the Lord told him. For entirety of his wife Elizabeth's pregnancy, Zechariah is only able to communicate through written words and/or some form of sign-language or eye movement. 

He cannot speak. 

Imagine that. . . because you do not believe what God is doing in your life, you are unable to speak about it to anyone. You are forced to watch the proceedings from the margins. This silence creates a sense of space, or distance, for Zechariah I believe. 

If he chooses to process or consider what is happening in Elizabeth's life, or in the greater spiritual life of the world, he will do so differently from the rest of the community. 

Now we know that as soon as he announces that this child is to be named John, his voice returns and he is able to testify to God being at work in his life. His testimony is so powerful that it causes awe to be experienced by the members of his community. But as I think about Zechariah's prophecy, as it is recorded in Luke 1, I wonder how often do we share the priests predicament? 

How often do we stop believing in what God is doing around us, and by ceasing to believe, we are moved to the margins. We can only watch what is happening when the opportunity to partner with God is also present. We are invited to partner with the Lord!  

I suppose this Christmas the choice is yours also. . . I wonder if you will believe what God is doing around you? Will you speak about it and trust that what God has planned will change the community? Or will you live on the margin and let Christmas take a familiar pacing and path? 

I wonder--December 11

Getting ready for Christmas as the Body of Christ can wear you down. . .  Now I know that is not news to anyone. It seems the closer to Christmas we come, the less peaceful we feel as people. But I wonder if that is not necessary a bad thing? 

In my morning devotional I read the following words: 

"True peace comes when we see things clearly, see the whole story, not just the good parts. Jesus' birth did not deny the human experience but embraced it." 

As you know I think a lot about the role story-telling and story-sharing plays in our lives as the church. In my mind an authentic story is a wonderful tool (perhaps the best tool) for sharing God's presence and love with our community. A well-told story is just the narration of a particular slice of life--good and bad. 

A well-told story holds the tension of life in place for the moment. 

Things don't always work out the way that we plan. The prayers are not answered. But that does not mean that God is not listening to us or that God does not value our relationship. It just means the story did not turn out the way that we wanted. . . Yet we cannot forget that God is in the story the whole time. 

As the above quotation says, 'true peace' comes as we see things authentically and fully. The good and the bad. 

Perhaps right now you can think of someone who is seeing their story only through negative eyes or a negative lens. Do not deny their experience. . . Instead come alongside of them and join them in wondering, in looking at, the whole story. Perhaps God is closer than any of us imagine? 

Blessings

Derek