irony.

top 3 ironies (scandals?) this christmas...

#3
Town Halls allowing "nativity scenes" (celebrating the birth of Jesus, uh... CHRIST-mas) but only allowing a manger, and animals (no mary, no joseph, no shepherds, no JESUS!)

#2
neil diamond (a practicing Jew) singing Christian Christmas songs (glorifying... uh.. JESUS!)

#1
the message that the Creator of all, the God of heaven and earth, has come to visit earth, to save earth, and comes in the form of a dependent little child, born of poor parents, in a small town, in a manger out back, and his first visitors are societies lowly rejects from "the norm".

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth... And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known."
Gospel of John 1:14, 16-18.

Eve-eve.

it's Christmas eve-eve.

i am wondering... what is different from tonight... more than tomorrow?
and why can't we start giving away presents on December 28th (after they are REALLY on sale, or returned?)...

i hope everyone has a merry little christmas eve-eve.
and december 28th also!

Death.

i have a friend who recently lost his father.
what do i have to say about this... anything can happen at any week.
do the people you care the most... know it?

maybe the most significant gift of this season is a baby in a manger...
a baby screaming, crying.... a God from the heavens screaming through this baby,
"I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU... I WILL DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU!"

maybe we should take this example and take time to write, text, call, stop by...
and to say " i love you. i would do anything for you."

that may cost you more than a $10 gift certificate...
and i guarantee that kind of gift won't be forgotten this time next year.

perhaps you will cause people to be like mary (the mother of JESUS) and "ponder things in their heart" over this season.

Clean.

i've noticed somthing today. i gave kathryn an early Christmas present (a ikea bedroom set). and now the bedroom is sleek (slick?). well, it looks nice. however all the mess of the bedroom is a trail that leads out to the living room where the mess finally died. and this is the mess that also joins the current mess outside of our computer desk here (as we are cleaning out that area as well).

makes me wonder how many times in our lives we "clean out" one section of our life and just push that junk (sin, stubborness, pride, envy, etc) into another area... and don't really clean anything up. we give ourselves a false impression that we are better off.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:4-7

Friday (12.07.07)

Movies.

i'm not sure about this Golden Compass thing. i am wondering really what these books are saying. the author is an agnostic/atheist and wishes to "kill God" in the minds of all readers by the end of the trilogy. i will probably see these movies, nonetheless, but it is good to understand that this is not a safe movie for kids and teens that don't have spiritual guides to help them see what is going on... really.

mmmm..... undecided in MPLS.

Tuesday 12.04.07

See.

i have been forced to take a real look at my life lately. didn't really like what i saw. priorities. i have looked to find fulfillment in the wrong things. the motivation was good. but i was looking at the different areas of my life to fulfill me in ways they could not.

so now begins another journey in this race. i often experience grace by seeing how weak i am. how many mistakes i make, and then seeing a wonderful woman at home and several dozen students and their families at church. i wonder "what are you doing, putting me here?"

not so much doubt. but awe and wonder. if it was me--i would have given up on me long ago. but i can slowly see how God uses the foolish to shame the wise. even if it is my views of wisdom and foolishness and the battle that goes on in my mind.

"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him" I Corinthians 1:26-29