Christmas Thoughts

An update from my last blog:

My tree is up (thank you Dave)

I have several creches set up, including a new Amish Nativity. (I couldn't resist when shopping in Lancaster County)

My Advent wreath had been up for several weeks. I even remember to light the candles occasionally.

I have a wreath on my front door

The presents were sent to Denver in plenty of time for Christmas arrival. They usually get sent in time to arrive just after Christmas.

This is probably the most "decorating" I've done in years.

And to the typical question "are you ready for Christmas” I have provided my standard reply: “I’m as ready as I'm going to be."

I am thankful that the church's single and homebound members appear to be taken care of for the holidays with visits from family and friends.

I am thankful that we have church members who look after things such as decorating the outside Christmas tree. And thank you to the homeless gentleman who stopped to help Sonia. And thanks to those who took care of the details of decorating the inside of the church.

I am thankful to those who have helped create ornaments for our Jesse Tree. It’s been fun to see the creativity of Carol Landry, Betsy Zimny, Becky Sperati, and the LVC house residents.

I am thankful that we have a dedicated church staff to deal with all the details of Christmas worship.

My thoughts are with those who have lost family members and friends in the last few weeks. It’s terrible to think that what should be a joyous holiday will be forever associated with a loss.

Why are people so surprised when it gets cold and snows in December? It IS winter.

Why is it that when my craft projects are forming a mess on the couch and ottoman I can find what I need, but as soon as I clean up, I can’t find the item I made two hours ago?

What if? What if we believed he was actually serious, not kidding, not exaggerating in the slightest when he said to share everything we have?

What if? What if our life was a gift to be given – what if we believed that nothing was ours to keep or hoard or hide, but only to share with the other people who share this planet.

What if? What if we learned the lesson of enough?

How many shoes can we wear?

How many clothes, toys, treats…do we need?

What if? What if what other people didn’t have worried us more than what we wanted to get? What if we changed? Would it change things? We won’t know unless we try.

And I’m not saying this because I want us to feel guilty about what we have – only aware … because we have some decisions to make every day. Will we share … or not?

What if, God? What if we shared our food? … Turn to a neighbour now and ask them what their favourite food is. Have a little chat about food and hunger in the world … So what if we saw food as a human right rather than as a commodity to be bought and sold to those who can afford it. What if?

What if, God? What if we shared our money. What if we saw our money as a common purse rather than as a personal allowance?

What if?

What if, God? What if we shared our ideas and dreams? … You know we all have them … Take a moment to remember an idea or a dream you had. You don’t have to say it out loud, but what if you did? What might happen? Who knows unless you give it a go! What if we thought of our ideas and dreams as neighbourhood ventures. What if?

What if? What if we believed he was actually serious, not kidding, not exaggerating in the slightest when he said to share everything we have?

What if? What if our life was a gift to be given – what if we believed that nothing was ours to keep or hoard or hide, but only to share with the other people who share this planet.

What if? What if we learned the lesson of enough?

Look around – at each other: you are looking at a gift – straight from God to you … Think about the ones you love – the ones who’ve created your centre, sculpted the beauty in you, helped you become, etched part of themselves into your hearts, written a chapter in your story … And think of the ones not here, but out there waiting for you to find them. They too are gifts straight from God … Treasure yet to be found, and you – treasure to them. Look around – at each other: you are looking at a gift – straight from God.

-- Ann Warner