seattlejo.com

Relevant Magazine has a great article by Andrew Jones on Linking to Cyber Church

Which also led me to this fantastic arctile on Christmas Serving

In the latter article, I particularly like this bit.

But, how does one open up one’s self to others on such an incredibly intimate level as Christ did in His coming? Obviously, the believer looking to minister to others at Christmas will have a difficult (if not impossible) time perfectly emulating Jesus, but Christians can open themselves up in different ways, through spending time and sharing love with those around them.

Examples of such a ministry can include inviting a neighbor over for a meal, whether a nice home cooked breakfast, a tasty warm lunch, or a full-on multi-course dinner. The sharing of such a meal can do much to establish a relationship and even provide a vehicle for eventual faith-sharing. Following up the Christmas-time meal with further interactions throughout the year will solidify the believer’s relationship with their neighbor and give them more opportunities to share the love of Christ.

It resonates with the reasons I want to change  my volunteering this year. Wanting it to be more personal, and to make a bigger difference directly.

One of the things I want to learn in depth more about the Emergent Church.  I’ve got a copy of Emerging churches : creating Christian community in postmodern cultures / on hold from my local library and I’m intending on attending service at a local Emerging Church at some point in the near future.

I’m curious. I  know its a new movement and I wonder what sort of impact it will have in the long run. Even if just the best of it gets incorporated into the Christian tradition, I feel there will be a benefit.

I left the Church at 17 and returned at 30. Pastor Dan told me that was fairly common with our denomonation. I wonder what that is. What happens between 17 and 30 that  Church becomes less important. Or what is it that Church doesnt provide to those in that age range? Looking at my  small but healthy congregation, I  wonder what we could do to reach out to this age group.

When I showed the Wal Mart Movie a few weeks ago, I was surprised at the number of people from the neighborhood who showed up. They were in this exact age range, and they were all hip college students and young professionals.  I wonder what would inspire them to join a congregation. Was it the activisim opportunity that inspired them to show up?  Its more to think about.

In a month or so I’m going down to Portland for a weekend to an Emerging Church learning party. I’m interested to see what it is about.

This subject brings so much to mind. Thinking of Becky’s Cafe Church Idea, thinking about how who I am can fit even more in with the Church and how Churches can and should pool and use each others resources.  More on that next post.

One of the changes I’m making this year is to change up my volunteering. I’ve been a fairly active volunteer since 2002, and have stayed steady with the same sort of events. I’ve worked special events like Bumbershoot, Summer Nights Concerts and Octoberfest. I’ve also done a little work for the Zoo.

I’ve been looking for something different though, something that would help people. While I am planning on ramping up my Church work as well, I wasnt looking for something explicitly Church related. It was mentioned at Church a few weeks ago that we were going to be making a donation to the Church of Mary Magdalene Dan mentioned something about serving by cooking them breakfast some Saturday morning.

I googled them Tuesday morning, sent off a quick email and got a quick response. Next Saturday I get my first chance. We’ll see how it goes.

As the new year starts, I look forward to seeking out  balance in my volunteer opportunities. It doesnt all have to be fun and games. Some of it can be serious work as well.

It looks as though the New Years will be spent at a party with Chris and Deb. It sounds delightful.

One of the things Deb has mentioned is that her Stepmother used to believe that whatever you did on New Years you would be doing all year long.  I love that thought and can’t help but think What I would do on New Years day that I would continue. 

While I practice aggressive scheduling, I can’t say that I am always great about sticking to my aggressive schedule. Just because I have it written that I will be up at 5am to go to the gym on some days and up to do my writing on others, doesnt mean I actually do. Just because I’ve planned to study math and German on certain days doesnt mean I am actually going to.

So for New Years day the best thing for me to do would be to follow my dream schedule for the day it is, then apply it going forward.

There are plenty of things I want to do with this New Year. Not just New Years day on forward.

I want to be more patient
I want to be more educated
I want to be more interested in politics
I want to be more fit
I want to be more organized
I want to be more crafty
I want to be neater
I want to be more giving
I want to be more honest

Its a lot to think about and not all immediatly achievable. These are just desires not resolutions, things to think about in who I am day to day.

(Read on …)

Church this morning was quiet.Circled around the Advent candles in the fellowship hall we sang carols and spoke of what made us thankful
It’s been an interesting year, and I have so much to be thankful. The big one that I vocalized, that brought tears to my eyes, is thanking for the family that I have been given. I can’t imagine where I would be without them.

I’m glad for all God has given me. i have a good job, a fantastic family, great friends, a great educational opportunity, and the drive to keep going.

I hope in the next year I’m able to move forward with my hopes and dreams, and that I’m able to become a better person.

Since we lived out in the suburbs we never really got into the “Going downtown to see Christmas lights”
Sure Marshall Fields had anamtronic displays, but for my family the hustle and bustle of driving 25 miles down town was just too much. When I think of Christmas traditions, I think of to categories, I think of what is a typical Chicago Christmas, and what was a typical Christmas for us. Let me tell you about my typical Christmas.

Christmas in my house meant lots of food and lots of time in the car. As a daughter of divorced parents who, with a close family, Christmas always meant piling in the car and going here or there for the holidays. Christmas Eve would find my brother Jim and I bouncing off of the walls flipping through the Sears Wishbook, hoping we could guess what Santa was going to bring us. Mom would have to wrangle us getting us into a bath and then into our very finest.

Christmas Eve meant dinner with my Stepfather’s family. His mother, brother in law, sister, nephews and niece. We’d start with a fancy dinner at the Buckingham Steakhouse, then go back to Grandma Rapps for gifts. While I was always vaugly afraid of these folks, I was more then eager to take their Christmas presents. Ususally there was a fair amount of clothing, but there were a few memorable gifts.
One year I got a large book of Shakespear. I loved getting it. Everyone thought it was weird and I was a little too young, but it made me happy. One year I got a swatch, and felt like the coolest 10 year old on the block. The last Christmas gift i remember getting from that side of the family, was a great jacket from Chicos.

We always got home from Grandma Rapps rather late, and Jim and i would usually tumble into bed. We’d always try to convince mom to let us open presents on Christmas Eve. As we got older, we we able to convince her to relent. Sadly, these years I always woke up a little disappointed.

Christmas morning usually meant waking at 7 and opening presents. We’d sit in our pajyamas and tear into the gifts we’d gotten. then put them away and get dressed to go to Griz and Pa’s for Christmas morning part 2. My most memorable Christmas gift from Mom and Al was a small pink radio. It was my first ever real radio, and I remember the first song I ever heard on it was Wang Chung, Every Body Wang Chung.

We’d drive over to Griz and Pa’s arriving by 10 am. (Mom told Al we had to be there by 9:30, that mad us ontime for 10am) We’d do another round of presents there. Again, lots of clothing. Usually we got an item for our collection. Mine was tin music boxes. My cousin Kim collected Bells, Jim collected metal pencil sharpeners? We’d also each have a new afghan made by Griz.

We’d then have a big dinner, at Noon on the dot. It was always the same. turkey, oyster stuffing, green beans, 2 kinds of cranberries, mashers, pumpkin slices for dessert.

Then depending on the year, we’d hop back into the car, and off to Al’s Aunts house. Another dinner would be had, with more visiting of the reletives. As i got older I began to resent the many trips we made, all the running around. I wanted a nice quiet day at home with my folks, my brother and i wanted the time to apprecieate the nifty new things I got.

I look back at it now, and while i still don’t care for hoop jumping, I really am gratefull for the family I grew up with.

—

Christmas in Chicago is about Christmas lights decorations and snow. It was a rare year that we didnt have snow on the ground, and usually by the time Christmas day rolled around, you’d find houses with snowman and snowforts littering the yard. Christmas lights and shopping were both big with Marshall Fields headquartered downtown.

Our little neighborhood of Downers Grove had quite a areas where folks would go all out with the lights. A typical evening would find these areas clogged with cars as everyone drove out to oggle and imagine the electric bill.

Christmas is just around the corner, a few days away. I’m the coffee hour host for Christmas  and will be bringing a small assortment of delightful treats. I was thinking about bringing cupcakes, because after  it is Jesus’s birthday right?

On a more serious note, I think I’m going to make a Christmas resolution. As Christmas is our celebration of the savior, similar to how other religions celebrate prophets, I’m going to take time in the next year to learn more about the historical jesus, and to  read more into his teachings in the bible. To spend the next year in a concentrated bible study of the gospels. It’s a nice goal and hopefully will help me give more depth to my beliefs.

Maybe this Christmas will mean something more.

Maybe this year, love will appear, deeper then ever before. – Ron Sexsmith

The meaning of Christmas can be deeply personal on a religous front. On a secular front Christmas and the  surrounding holidays are about love, forgiveness, and being kind to everyone, friend and foe. Christmas time is not a time to hold a grudge. Of course we should then have Christmas all year long?

Why should we only be at our very best for 6 weeks out of the year, From Thanksgiving to New Years. Why can’t we hold the Christmas spirit all year long?  Why do we let ourselves get so wrapped up in the trappings of the holidays and not in the meansings of them.

The Daily Om for a few days ago had the following suggestion:

"When exploring the true meaning of the holidays and getting back to the true spirit of the season, allow yourself to alter existing traditions. Even a blessing before a meal or a walk under the stars can help you reconnect with the holidays. Do what fulfills you and then stop before your celebration becomes more of a hassle than a happy occasion. Get back to the basics of generosity and goodwill, and your holiday will certainly be a rewarding one. "

This year we are having a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve, then a relaxed Christmas day. Perhaps we’ll start a new quieter tradition,without all the hustle and bustle for our family at home.

“Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”  Leviticus 19:18

I grew up in the Western Suburbs of Illinois appoximatly 25 miles from Chicago.  (If you are in the Seattle Area, this is the equivelent of living in Tacoma distance wise)

We I lived with my grandparents in Downers Grove up until 1980, when my mom remarried in the autumn of 1980, we all went to live with my stepfather.  His family owned a golf course in Westmont, and there was a small rental house on the front of the property. This is where we moved to.

With five acres on the front portion of the property, we had plenty of space to run around. Mom had a large garden and canned most  of what she grew. We never had a lot of money, but we never really wanted for anything.  School was walking distance away, or a short bus ride.  We were in a no man’s land of unicorperated land., so to get library cards or pool passes we used relatives addresses, claiming my brother and I lived in a neighboring town.

I was a champ at getting locked out of the house, and at breaking in the windows to get in. I never actually broke a window, but I did get in trouble all the time for shimmying inside.  Mom worked sporadically, I don’t think she had much drive. She worked for a meat packer, for a dry cleaner, and finally at the local 7-11 al when I was growing up.

Even after mom got sick, the house was comfortable for us. We stayed there until I was in my freshmen in highschool, when we sold the family golf course.

(Read on …)

Haul out the holly;
Put up the tree before
My spirit falls again.
Fill up the stockings,
I may be rushing things,
But deck the halls again now.
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute,
Candles in the window,
Carols at the spinet.
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute

—-

I have been ignoring the debate of Christmas versus Holidays. The debate claims to be about the secular holiday versus the religious holidays, but to me it all seems simple. Instead of worrying about the words being said, how about hearing the message behind the words.

Listen to the meaning the greeting, not just in the words being used. So many people are disillusioned by the season. Overwrought with the pressure of the season. The pressure of purchases and presents, the expectations of entertaining. So many people say "I can’t stand how commercial it is" as they run out to Target the day after Thanksgiving to get the special bargains.

The words themselves are just words, nothing else. There is nothing magic in the words "Merry Christmas" that will make you a christian, and no magaic in the words "Happy Holidays" that will make you a non Christian. these are just chosen expressions  that todays oversensitive society have taken issue with.

If you are worried that the holiday isnt religious enough, then make your traditions religious. Go to Church on Christmas Eve, have a creche in your house. Talk to your family about the meaning of Christmas and what it means . Examine why it is important to you, and share that.

If you are worried that the holiday is too religious, then make your traditions non religious. Celebrate what you believe in,  examine your belifs, find what is important and bring it out.

And above all, if the holiday is too stressfull,  to tension inducing, find a way to make it stop. Making the season something you can enjoy will help you bring out the best meaning.

—

Though I’m religious , most of my family is not, or at least not in the same vein I am. For me celebrating the holidays is about friends and family, food and entertaining. I’ll celebrate by going to church on Christmas day, by having a small dinner on Christmas Eve with close family. The gifts will be small, and are all family oriented, as we decided that was what was important this year.