On the Way to Wonder

“Long shots” are usually options with not so obvious outcomes, more chancy investments. If we will lock money in the bank for a long period then often we can get a higher interest rates.  I love the scene from “Lion King” where Timon looks out over Simba’s kingdom that Simba is choosing to fight for and says, “Looks like a real fixer-upper to me.”  Often life looks like a fixer-upper project. 

         Abraham in the Matthew genealogy came to a point of decision.  The land could not support the flocks of both nephew Lot and his own.  He gave Lot first choice – the lush valley or the more challenging hills and mountains.  Lot chose the lush valley and the sure gains and Abraham was left with the long shot – the mountains.  Likewise George Bailey has a suitcase in hand that is big enough to put the labels of all the exotic places he hopes to visit.  But as he is settling his father’s affairs, he hears the loan business will only continue if he forfeits his dreams and runs the company.  He must choose.   He can only see a tough road ahead of himself in Bedford Falls but he chooses the loan company, the long shot.

         The genealogy of Matthew gives HOPE as Matthew traces the history of people who trust the long shot.  God’s answer to prayer is not always apparent in our lives. It is almost impossible for us to wait til we are 100 years old for the fulfillment of promise.  Perhaps today you are tired of waiting for God to help you reach the impossible dream.  Christmas reminds us that God works in chaotic times like the Roman census.  God works in unexpected ways like through a baby in a manger.  God works beyond our horizons including wise men from afar and people we don’t even realize are in the picture.  God works in the long shots.  Christmas reminds us that God is working in our lives in unexpected ways.  Waiting is hard but as you make some of the tough choices facing you, may you find HOPE knowing that God is working for your good in the ”long shot.”  Blessings.

         One of the charming moments in “It’s a Wonderful Life” is when George and Mary are walking home after Mary’s high school graduation party.  They pass the old run-down Granville house and George throws a rock at one of the windows and makes a wish.  He wants to travel the world and see new places.  Mary picks up a rock and throws, breaking another window.  She won’t tell her wish but we, the viewers, know she is wishing for George.  As a young girl she had professed her eternal love for George in his deaf ear as he bent over to scoop up an ice cream at the Pharmacy.

         This Sunday, Advent 2, we will read of another young man with a dream.  Matthew tells us that Joseph has done everything to for the marriage to Mary, mother of Jesus, but discovers she is pregnant.  There seems to be a detour on the road to the dream for Joseph.  There will be a detour for George Bailey as he seeks to live a wonderful life.  There is often a detour in our lives as we chase our dreams.  How do we maintain hope when we are discouraged? 

         Mary, takes the next step, goes to college.  George, does not travel the world, but is able to help the poor immigrants that have come into his world as he chooses to take the leadership of his father’s loan business as he is about to hear his father has had a stroke.  Detours to our dreams can be very discouraging.  Perhaps we cannot give that gift we had hoped we could this Christmas.  Perhaps there will be an empty seat at the feast.  Perhaps there is some other detour we did not expect.  Mary clung to her wish despite the detours.  Wishing reveals the love in our heart and a God who also wants to bless us in the midst of our detours.  Let’s keep our eyes on Him!  Blessings as you wish and prepare!

Clarence Oddbody, Angel Second Class, in “It’s a Wonderful Life” reviews George Bailey’s life whom Clarence is being sent to help.  Clarence sees a scene from George’s youth when he is working at the Pharmacy.  George sees a telegram on the counter and reads it only to learn that his boss, Mr. Gower has just been informed that his son died of influenza.  George sees Mr. Gower drinking in his grief and realizes that Mr. Gower has mistakenly filled a prescription with poisonous medicine.  George is told to deliver the medicine.  George at about age 12 is called upon “to speak truth to power.”  He runs to his father for moral support but his father is arguing with the banker.  George returns to the shop and tells his boss about the mistake.  Mr. Gower boxes George’s sore ear but on hearing his mistake, falls on his knees in gratitude.  George never tells anyone of the incident.

         Part of the Christmas story in Matthew tells of the wise men traveling to Jerusalem as they follow the star and then being interviewed by King Herod.  They do not hide that they are looking for “the one who has been born king of the Jews.”  They must have realized that such an announcement would be shocking to the power structures there. 

         Sharing the truth of who we are and what we believe is not always a comfortable experience.  If we refuse to follow instructions because of our values, we may have our ears boxed figuratively.  The temptation is to sugar coat news that might hurt, to gloss over some of the facts, or to paint a nice picture.  Can you think of a time when you did not share your faith or did not exactly tell the whole truth?  One of the challenges of this Advent season is to speak our truth about Christmas, about the birth of the Christ child, in a transparent way that not only another can hear and understand but presents honestly the birth of Christ into our world of political powers like King Herod.  Yes, we enjoy the fun of the season but we know the core truth is about Jesus’s birth.  May God give us courage as we are called upon to speak our truth to the people who have power in our lives.  Blessings.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” opens with a chorus of prayers rising to the heavens for George Bailey of Bedford Falls.  Something is terribly wrong and his friends turn to God for help.  Clarence Oddbody, Angel Second Class who has not earned his wings, is sent to help.  But first he must review George’s life that has brought him to this moment of crisis.  The review starts with a vision of George, age 12, and friends sliding on shovels down a snowy embankment onto a frozen pond.  It comes to George’s little brother’s turn and he slides down the hill, onto the pond and into a hole in the ice at the end of the pond.  He cries out, “George, help!”  George jumps into the icy water and saves his brother but looses his hearing in his left ear.  Choosing to help costs.

         Abraham is the first name of the genealogy of Jesus that opens the New Testament and the Gospel of Matthew.  The list of people that are descendants also made choices about trusting God in challenging situations.  Each one takes risks that cost.  Abraham left his home country with his wife Sarah and nephew Lot. Abraham allowed Lot to choose the rich valley for his flocks.  Abraham chose to believe God that even in his old age he could sire a son, Isaac.  Stepping out in faith is risky.  We must believe that there is a God, that he is watching and that he cares.  That’s how Hebrews 11:1-3 defines faith.

         “11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. ³ By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.”

         George was watching his brother and George cared.  God was watching Abraham and his descendants and he cared.  God is watching us and he cares when we get ourselves in horrible situations.  We are people of HOPE, our Advent word for this week, because we see through history God watching over his creation in good times and rough times.  Blessings as you cry out for “help” and trust the God who is willing to save you at the price of the cross.

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent.  We will be starting a new Christian year.  Advent mean “the coming” and so in December we will build up to when we celebrate the coming of Jesus on Christmas. One of the favorite 12^th century hymns that is frequently sung during Advent is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”  We prepare socially by finding presents to bring to beloved friends as the Wise Men did.  We fill the air with Christmas carols as the angels did.  We think of family as Joseph and Mary had to return to his family roots in Bethlehem because of the census.  The birth in a stable reminds us of the plight of refugees looking for shelter at our borders. 

     This year we look at Christmas through the eyes of Matthew.  He does not focus on the traditional nativity scene we see so often enacted.  He opens with a genealogy and goes on to talk of Joseph’s situation, the wise men and Herod, and the slaughter of the innocent children.  Monday we will start looking at this epic story. We will be laying the Christmas story next to the beloved movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. 

     Clarence Oddbody, angel 2^nd class without wings first reviews the life of George Bailey before he goes to help him.  Matthew first reviews the genealogy of Jesus before he jumps into his story.  We find hope during Advent as we trace the faithfulness of God to his promises and prophecies.  Let’s sing the first verse of the hymn goes like this:

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Tomorrow we light the first candle of the Advent wreath, Blessings as you enter the season and may God’s promises sustain you through the stresses and blessings of this season.

We dub today “Black Friday” which is a bit of a dubious honor.  We associate “black” with the black plague in the Middle Ages but we also know “Black is beautiful.”  This tension carries into the modern naming of the day after Thanksgiving as “Black Friday.”  It feels to me this year that the whole month is advertisements about pre-Black Friday sales.  We step into the tension between wanting to bless friends and the reality of our financial limitations.  We want to recover financially from the economic stress we are feeling but we want to be kind. 

         I find it ironical that today, a day of sales and preparations for blessing others at Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, is called Black Friday.  On the other hand, the Friday before Easter, the day we celebrate the crucifixion, before the joys of Easter, we call “Good Friday.”

         The name “Black Friday” was first used around 1951 and did not begin to pick up momentum until 1975, in many of our life times.  Whatever the origins, if in the suburban crowds that come to the city to shop for Christmas, or the fans that flock to football games, or because shop owners anticipate their red ledgers turning black after being in the red due to Coved, today is one of the biggest shopping days of the year and is used to predict the health of the economy.

         So perhaps one question we can reflect on today is how we cope with those down times and those stress filled times in our life.  Many turn to alcohol or shopping and partying.  Others find joy in community and gathering together.  There might be a bit of the Grinch in many of us. I think of the Bible verse Proverbs 17:22,

“A cheerful heart is good medicine,

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

      We may not have much spare money to share this year but money is not a measure of the love in our hearts. Good or hard times is not a measure of the love in the heart of God whom we celebrate incarnating to be with us on Christmas, not as a dictator but as a small child loving us during dark times.  As you manage this Black Friday, may you be blessed knowing God loves you in ways way beyond the material.   Blessings!

“For health and food and loving friends

For everything thy goodness sends

We thank thee Heavenly Father

Amen.”

That was our family grace before each meal in my biological family.  I carried it into my marriage family and even today say this grace.  I have heard almost the same grace said by people from a Norwegian or Swedish background and my family was English.  We will bow our heads today and give thanks. Hopefully. 

         It reminds me of the scene in the movie “Blindside” when the family grabs food to watch the football game as the kid from the other side of the tracks who lived with them sat at the table.  The family realizes the social awkwardness and joins him at the table and they bow their heads and give thanks.  We bow our heads to show humility, I think.  In Kenya, when a Maasai child met an adult, he would dip his head and the elder would put his hand on the child’s head and bless the child.  Nice!

         One of the blessing for me this year has been the discovery of a new singing artist.  New to me anyway.  His name is Don Moen.  He does praise music that comforts my soul when I feel bedraggled.  Let me share a song with you that is appropriate for Thanksgiving.

         This year, my husband and I have faced health challenges due to aging.  The next song has deeply blessed me.  I pray it blesses you this Thanksgiving.  Have a happy Thanksgiving!  The grace of the Lord be on you!

Revelation 7:11-12

^“11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, ¹² singing,

‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honour
and power and might
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’”

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving when theoretically we finally gather with family and friends, feast on a roasted beast or at least good food, and turn our eyes towards Advent and Christmas.  Many in our country will not have experiences that measure up to the visions spun by the media.  Most will not take time to go to their place of worship to give prayers of thanks to the host of our blessings, maybe a prayer before the meal.  Many will be preparing for Black Friday, warming up their fingers to find sales on the Internet.  Many more will grieve the loss of a beloved at the table this year.

         I come to the end of my Bible references found in Biblegateway.com for the word, “thanksgiving,” and end with a reference found in Revelation, the last book of the Bible.  It seems appropriate.  Revelation does not focus on the pleasures of this life as the author, John, was on the Isles of Patmos, because of his faith and he was old.  His eyes turn to heaven as he envisions the angels in heaven praising God.  There is a list of words: blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power and might.  Thanksgiving is the one that is most easy for me to tie down in words I can understand.  For two weeks we’ve fleshed it out.  We can be thankful for

  –deliverance in times of trouble

  –antibodies to fight disease

  –nature

  –deeds of kindness

  –salvation

  –God’s goodness

  –gifts people have that bless our lives

  –God is invested in us and values us

  –we have voice in the path of our life

So many things to be thankful for and to kneel before the host of our banquet tomorrow…along with the angels and elders in the heavenlies!  Blessings, you are not alone.

Ephesians 5:4

“Entirely out of place is obscene, silly, and vulgar talk;

but instead, let there be thanksgiving.”

“The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” by Dr. Seuss is the theme for an ice “adventure” in the city near me.  The book first published in 1957 was one of his easiest books to write as he was beginning his career back in 1955.  It was brought to life in 1966 with Boris Karloff as the voice of the Grinch.  Jim Carey played the Grinch in 2007 in film.  This poem, I discovered, was Dr. Seuss dealing with his cynicism on Dec. 26, 1955, as he grappled with his wife’s illnesses and his perceived commercialization of Christmas.  He was the Grinch!!!  He sat down and turned to words and poetry.  He wrote himself into a dilemma, though, as he tried to reconcile the reality of life and faith.  He resolved that tension by having the Grinch sit down at the Christmas table and the Grinch carves the roast beast.

         Perhaps you feel like the Grinch right now as you face the merriment of the season with the reality of expectations and limited resources or perhaps you face the future with an ailing friends.  The Grinch might be your story this year!  Ephesians warns us to avoid the trap of using vulgar talk, obscene language to express our deep frustrations with situations.  It’s rather acceptable today to hear what some consider vulgar language on all media, language that would not have been acceptable at the time of the writing of the Grinch.  It seems that language can be used to let off steam but vulgar language does not resolve the situation.  Paul urges us to turn to thanksgiving and finding the positive.

         The Grinch carves the roast beast.  Allow me the “poetic license” of this post to suggest that it is only as we cut into Christ, our sacrifice that we celebrate now, that we can find any resolution and hope for the future.  Our heart grows three times larger when we praise and release our grumps.  We have a choice on how we focus and Invest (i) through thanksgiving.  I is for ….., N is for ….., V is for ….., E is for ……, S is for….., and T is for …….  Blessings.

Philippians 4:6

“Do not worry about anything,

but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.”

“Do not worry!”  I think that can be rephrased as “don’t be anxious.”  Then there is the motto of just “be prepared”.  I’m just making sure I have my “bases covered”!  We have various ways that we politely admit we are worried.  The last two weeks I had dermatology “stuff” to deal with.  One spot was a “cut and sew.”  The other was “mohs” that I call “scoop and sew.”  My husband had it on the back of his hand and no one noticed.  The one on his chin looked “manly.”  But knowing my face might end up scarred led to … worry.

         Paul is in jail when he writes these words.  Perhaps he too felt helpless and realized worry did no good.  His advice is to pray and plead (supplication) but then he adds “with thanksgiving.”  Thanksgiving challenges the soul to think positive.  I prayed that the doctors and nurses would have a good night’s sleep and be rested.  I prayed that I would not cry when given  the Novocain shots.  I prayed my children would not worry.  I prayed that my friend who went with me would not be too inconvenienced.  Focusing on the aspects of the situation where I believe God could intervene for a positive outcome helped me not to focus on the potential catastrophe, social discomfort because of a scarred face, that I feared.  Thanksgiving factors God into the equation and worry forgets God is there mediating the evil that can touch me.

         I looked on the Internet for worship songs that deal with worry and found a new one I had never heard by Casting Crowns, a more modern group,  It’s called “Just be Held.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZitK6_IMQ.

For those who want a more meditative tone, may I suggest the time honored favorite, “Be Still My Soul.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2dWpkAuFyw

As we head into Thanksgiving and Christmas season, may we guard our hearts and minds from worry and may we voice all our concerns to God in prayer with supplication and thanksgiving.  V is for ….., O is for ….., I is for ……, C is for ….., and E is for …….  Blessings.