One week

In one week it will be Christmas day.  I have watch “It’s A Wonderful Life”, so I think I am good to go.

I wanted to send greetings and peace.  Actually, for a number of days I have wanted to send greetings, but life has been complicated.  My Dad’s kidney’s are less functional and he is needing more care and patience from both Mom and me.   But, life is always changing.

I think this is mostly what I want to say today, Life is always changing, be gentle with yourself.  Recently, I have begun reading again “Peace Is Every Step” by Thich Nhat Hanh.  It is wonderful.  He talks a lot about breathing and being present in the moment.  It is a meaningful meditation to find the joy in each moment.  We usually are somewhere else than present, we are worrying about the future or fretting over the past or just thinking about work/conversation/something besides what is happening in front of us.

For a long time I have worked at being thankful for “what is” and not being upset by “what isn’t”.

As Christmas draws closer remember that “what is” is the love of God come in the form of a vulnerable, little baby.  We can celebrate the infancy of our faith and commit again to grow in our faith journey through the gift of days to come.

Peace

Change

The intensity of Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have past.  Now we can just be stressed about Christmas coming!!

Every year I wonder what all the ads and Christmas shows have to do with preparing for the Christ Child.  This year I also am aware of how much has changed in my life.

I think most families work hard a family traditions and keeping the celebration the same.  I wonder why.  My mother really disliked entertaining.  I think she liked to see family, but the whole preparation for family holidays (and seeing her in-laws) was unpleasant.  I think now that was why in my teen years she started working holidays. (She was a nurse at a small local hospital).  So, we do not have many traditions.

This year I declared that we are having Christmas Dinner on the 26th because that is what works for me.  Actually, Christmas dinner at my parents house has always been a moving target since ministry and distance meant that a family dinner on Christmas day was next to impossible.  Yet we have always celebrated well.

So, our family traditions have also been a moving target.

What do you have to do to feel like you have celebrated Christmas?  Send cards? Receive cards?  Shop for presents? Receive presents?  Think about it.

A long time ago I realized that what I needed to feel I had celebrated Christmas was a candlelight Christmas eve service with communion.  That’s it.  Food, gifts, cards, stuff is all OK, but being at church is it for me.  If you have loved ones there is it even better.

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth.  We all know this.  So, if you become stressed during these days, remember, you are just celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace, so act like it!

Life may be different, but God’s love is always there.  Yeah