Remember When?

Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Romans 10:8b-18; Matthew 4:18-22

Dear Friends in Christ -

It's never easy to wait. Sometimes it's easier to wait for someone or something that we're not excited about. Sometimes it's easier to wait if we just deny how excited we are.

But this Advent, dare to remember how precious Jesus is to you. One way to do this is to take a minute to think back to when you first felt Jesus as a powerful presence in your life. Was it when you saw a sparkle in your favorite aunt's face? Was it hearing the Christmas story read at Sunday School? Was it when a neighbor showed you an unexpected kindness, and you knew there was goodness in the world and wanted a name for that goodness?

We follow Jesus for a reason - because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Getting connected to His goodness makes the waiting . . . harder, but better.

Blessings,
Janet+

Ready and Waiting

Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36

Dear Friends in Christ -

In the midst of our preparations for Christmas, the question that Jesus asks his disciples - and us - is whether we're ready for his SECOND coming. The way to get ready for that, Jesus says, is to "Stand up and raise your heads." In the midst of the scurrying preparations for Christmas, most of us are in a posture that's more head-down-shoulder-to-the wheel. Even, and especially, in the midst of it all, Jesus calls us to stop, stand still, and look up.

Advent is a season for attentive waiting. During the whole season of Advent, the baby Jesus doesn't come. We decorate, and he doesn't come yet. We bake, and he doesn't come yet. We make calls and send cards, and he doesn't come yet. The purpose of all this waiting is NOT to torture children (or adults!), but to give us time to ready our hearts for a mind-blowing, reality-transforming miracle.

This year, my goal is to be ready for that. Oh, I'll wrap some packages and host some parties and all that, but my number one agenda item every day is going to be to take a little time to be still. To wait.

Following is the beautiful little poem that I used in my sermon today, which holds precious inspiration for me in my waiting.

Faithfully,
Janet+

Kneeling -- by R. S. Thomas

Moments of great calm,
Kneeling before an altar
Of wood in a stone church
In summer, waiting for the God
To speak; the air a staircase
For silence; the sun’s light
Ringing me, as though I acted
A great rôle. And the audiences
Still; all that close throng
Of spirits waiting, as I,
For the message.
Prompt me, God;
But not yet. When I speak,
Though it be you who speak
Through me, something is lost.
The meaning is in the waiting.

R. S. Thomas, “Kneeling” from Not That He Brought Flowers. Copyright © 1968 by R. S. Thomas.
Source: Collected Poems 1945-1990 (1993)

Inspiration at the press of a button

Dear Friends in Christ -

One of my favorite things last Advent was an online calendar of meditations hosted by Trinity Wall Street. Each day, the calendar offered a beautiful, powerful opportunity for reflection, through words, visuals and/or music. Our friends at Trinity have given notice that they've created a brand new inspirational Advent calendar for 2009. Beginning tomorrow (11/29), it will be available at: www.trinitywallstreet.org/advent. Enjoy!!!
Blessings,
Janet+

The unthankful heart . . .

"The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!" - Henry Ward Beecher

May your heart continue to find reasons for thanksgiving!
Faithfully,
Janet+

A Hymn of Thanksgiving

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

~ by Cecil Frances Alexander

Thanksgiving: religious or secular?

Dear Friends in Christ -

I've always thought of Thanksgiving as a religious holiday, started by Christians celebrating their survival in a new land. Today I learned that most people think of the modern holiday is a secular celebration. If the amount of shopping done over the weekend is any indication, the religious types may have to cede the point. Certainly WAY more people will shop over this weekend than will go to church.

Going to church isn't the only way to make the holiday holy, though. Making it holy is primarily about the intention of our hearts. Anytime, anywhere (even at the mall!), we can get close to God by simply acknowledging His presence. The special Presence we often feel when we gather together and give thanks is this: that when we bear witness to one another of God's goodness, we catch a glimpse of His glory.

Whether your thanksgiving prayers are little or big, beautifully crafted or impromptu, as long as they're from the heart, they will stir His power again in our midst. Whether the holiday is "religious" or "secular," if we say our prayers, God will be there. And wherever God is is holy.

Faithfully,
Janet+

32 Shopping Days Left Until Christmas?

Dear Friends in Christ -

Was it this morning or yesterday morning when I heard the countdown on the radio for the first time this season? Because I make many of the Christmas presents that I give, I have already started my Christmas preparations, but I'm not yet ready to start the countdown.

For me, the countdown process has two emotional pulls - one positive, one negative. On the positive side, there's excitement, a sense of anticipation. As an adult, it's different than when I was a kid. It's more about masterminding plans to help my kids find joy and delight during this season. On the negative side, there's the pull toward fear. It seems that it's not only the marketers singing the song, but even my friends - not enough time, not enough money, not enough of the "toy of the year" on store shelves.

This year, I'm going to intentionally steer away from fear by giving myself the gift of serenity, and starting today, I'm going to pray the Serenity Prayer on a regular basis, the WHOLE THING. Then when I'm done praying it, I'm going to try to "stay" in it by continuing its exercises throughout the day. Do you know the Serenity Prayer? The famous part goes like this:

God grant me serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Here's the rest of Reinhold Niebuhr's prayer - which contains the secret of how to do the first part:

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen.

Here's my "final answer": it doesn't matter to me how many shopping days there are until Christmas. Everything thing that needs to get done will get done, God willing, in His time. The rest, I'm letting go of so my heart is free to rejoice.

Faithfully,
Janet+