I WILL

 

 

I will lose 10 pounds this year.

Beginning January 1, I will limit my TV watching to 1 hour per day.

At the stroke of midnight of the New Year I will stop being a couch potato and start being an exercise machine.

Sound familiar?  Many of us make similar New Year’s resolutions each and every year. The problem comes in attempting to keep them—for at least a week, anyway.  An unknown quipster knows whereof we speak: “A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.”

 

While it’s always good for us to take stock of our lives over the past year and attempt to make improvements in the new, the reality  is that we humans “look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits” (anonymous).

It seems that the tradition of New Year’s resolutions began around 153 B.C. with Janus, a two-headed mythical god from early Roman times. One of Janus’ heads faced forward to the future and the other looked back on the past. He became a symbol of resolutions, many of which were “to be good to one another.“ Gifts were exchanged and many Romans looked to their enemies for forgiveness at this time. Our month of January was named for Janus.

As I contemplated the beginning of 2013 and the folly of most of my past resolutions, I wondered how many “I wills” were in the Bible and whether or not I could start with those instead of making up my own, on my own. 

 

It turns out there are many instances in Scripture where God says “I will.” We know those are really, truly “I wills.” No doubt about that. But how about the “I wills” of mere mortals like me? A number of those can be found, too—especially in the Psalms:

 

●”I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” (Psalm 7:17)What beautiful melodies we would make together, beginning 2013 lifting our hearts and lips in praise and thanksgiving to our Creator.

 

●”I will watch my ways...I will put a muzzle on my mouth…” (from Psalm 39:1-2) Whoa! Now that’s a mouthful in itself! But wouldn’t my world be a better place if I vowed, as King David did, to keep these words? You know the answer.

 

●”I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you.” (Psalm 22:22) This is a troubled world and people need to know about Someone Who can help. How will they hear if we who know don’t spread what we know?

With Gods help, in 2013, I will. Will you?

 

 

 

Call Me Scrooge

 

Just call me Scrooge.

 

No, I’m not a Christmas hater. I’m a Christmas lover! And so was Ebenezer Scrooge—after his transformation, that is.

 

Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” was first published in December of 1843. It tells the story of  Mr. Scrooge’s journey from mean and miserly to good and generous.

 

When we meet the old coot at the beginning of the tale, he snarls to his nephew Fred: "What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money and for finding yourself a year older and not a penny richer! If I could work my will every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart."  But, when he meets the ghost of Christmas Future at the end, his tone is decidedly different: "I fear you more than any specter I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company and do it with a thankful heart."
 

When a tardy Bob Cratchit arrives for work the day after Christmas, at best he expects a severe dressing-down and at the worst, dismissal from his position. Instead, his boss gives him the surprise of his life: "A Merry Christmas to you Bob! A merrier Christmas, Bob my good fellow, than I have given you in many a year! I'll raise your salary and do whatever I can to help your struggling family. We will discuss your affairs this very afternoon over a bowl of Christmas bishop. But first, let's make up the fires. I want you to go out and buy another scuttle of coal before you dot another i, Bob Cratchit." Ebenezer Scrooge had been transformed—and because of it, his behavior changed as well.

 

More than just changed or transformed, because of what Jesus Christ did for me I am redeemed! To “redeem” is to “buy back.” “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7) I used to be “dead in (my) transgressions and sins when (I) followed the ways of this world, but through the grace of God (I) am now to do good works, which God planned for (me) to do (Ephesians 2). I am a new me!

 

The name of Scrooge is much-maligned as we remember the man for what he was instead of who he became. Let’s make sure this Christmas that those of us who go by the name “Christian” live as the redeemed. No “humbugs!”

 

 

 

 

 

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Merry Muck

 

My ears perked up. Did she say what I thought she said?

I had been half listening to the Today Show. The program does a periodic panel discussion involving Matt Lauer, Star Jones, Donny Deutsch and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, NBC’s chief medical editor. The topic was whether or not it was OK to hire people to put up one’s Christmas tree or buy the gifts. After Ms. Jones said she focused on the religious meaning of Christmas Dr. Snyderman rather pompously said, “I don’t like the religious part. I think religion is what mucks the whole thing up.”

Um, what?

We are talking about Christmas, here, right? Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and its name is self-explanatory: Christ and the Roman Catholic mass celebrating His birth, literally “Christ’s mass”. So, Dr. Snyderman thinks Christmas gets “mucked up” by talking about the One the holiday is about? As far as I’m aware, when there’s a birthday party we are celebrating the person who’s having the birthday. But not Snyderman. She said she wanted to focus instead on green trees and snow.

Well, let’s see - there are a lot of parts to our Christmastime, lots of fun places to put our focus. Let’s “focus” on those green trees that Snyderman relishes. Is it Christmas if the tree is artificial or does it have to be formerly live? (After all, hardly anybody has a living, growing-in-dirt evergreen sparkling in their living room.) And what about those folks who prefer pink ones, or silver or white? When I was a kid it was all the rage to have flocked trees and I thought it would be just so marvelous if we could have one. But, no, just plain old green for us. Today we are currently using a 25 year old blue spruce of the comes-in-a-box variety and it suits us just fine, thank you. We’ve had “real” trees before (they toppled over), could have one again, and will likely purchase another artificial one in the future (don’t have to water ‘em or worry about how long they’re “up”). Trees are a beautiful part of Christmas, all shining with bright lights and sentimental ornaments. I love them all, but I don’t believe any one type makes or breaks Christmas. And, you know, “formerly live” trees dry out and are tossed once the season’s over; eventually the fakes make the ride of shame to the dump, too. So we wouldn’t want to focus too hard on trees.

Then there’s the snow. What about that focus? Lovely as it first falls and blankets our world, but what if our white Christmas isn’t? No Christmas then? Ask a native Floridian that question, or someone who lives on Maui. They “do Christmas” quite well without snowmen and icicles and blizzards. The two Christmases I spent in Hawaii were sandy by the sea and very merry to me. Besides, snow melts and disappears. It flubs the focus test.

How about Santa? I love him! Bringer of wishes, fulfiller of dreams - but yes, only in our dreams. We know that. My kids have always known that. He's a fun story, but not a true story. My kids have always known that, too. We can't focus on him.

Well, then, what about shopping and presents? Shall we focus on that? Everybody likes to get presents, don’t they? Unfortunately, many folks spend money they don’t have to buy things people don’t want. Somebody’s brand new dolly is going to break and you know that sweater is, ahem…not going to fit Uncle Phil. Good gifts are great, but our focus probably shouldn’t be there, either.

Sweet treats? Holiday parties? Sounds of the season? All delicious, fun and sweetly melodious.  But just like the trees that get landfilled, the snow that goes away and the toys that break, all those Christmas parts are so, so…well, unsubstantial (not real, lacking strength or solidity).  If our focus (our central or main point of attraction or attention) is on those things, Christmas might well get “mucked up.”

But Dr. Snyderman may also be right when she said Christmas gets “mucked up” by religion. It’s not “Religion-mas.” It’s not about church or rules or “shoulds or shouldn'ts.”  It’s about CHRISTmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, come to earth as a real babe to tell us about the real God the Father, to show us the real way. To one day die on a cross and rise again, to make a real way, the only way for us.

Delight in all the pleasures, all the parts of Christmas, but please don't "muck it up" - keep your attention on Jesus and the relationship you can have with Him. He’s real. Substantial. Strong. Solid. Everlasting. Worthy of your focus.

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”  Philippians 2:8-10

Expected Surprise

Surprise!

The room is dark, the door opens and the light comes on. The party guests jump out from their hiding places and yell, “Surprise! Happy birthday! “ (Or whatever the occasion might be). The surprised one (and party planners hope there actually is such a person) stands still for a moment, stunned. What, what, what is this? Ohhhhh. Smiles break out all around and yes, let’s get this party started!

I’ve planned surprises and had them happen to me. Both are fun, in my opinion, though that viewpoint is not shared by everyone. Jane Austen once wrote that “Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable.”

Maybe, but I love them. I know my aunt advised against trying to surprise my mother for her 75^th birthday, perhaps feeling the shock would cause her early demise (it didn’t, unless it took eight more years to sink in!). She was happily flabbergasted that all four of her children, their spouses, some grandchildren and many extended family and friends took time from their schedules and traveled to Babbitt, Minnesota to wish her well on reaching three quarters of a century. (She was so overwhelmed that she wondered who the party was really for – it couldn’t possibly be in her honor!) Mom had never expected it.

Back in the 90’s I had a part-time McDonald’s job; I was in charge of kids’ birthday parties. One March day I had prepared a party, ready for the birthday girl to arrive. The funny thing was, she already had – me! Friends, who knew that I’d be working, had planned the whole 40^th birthday thing. And I had suspected nothing!

A few years ago, at a different part-time job, I was busily typing away in my church office. My husband, who also worked at church, called for me to come out into the hall. “In a minute,” I replied. “No,” he countered. “You’re going to want to come out here and see this!”

Interrupted exasperation turned to joyful astonishment as I, open-mouthed in amazement, laid my eyes upon my two precious grandsons, my daughter and her husband – who were, to my knowledge supposed to be in Livingston, Montana. But, instead, there they were, grinning in the church hallway in Pewaukee, Wisconsin! They had come as Nana's Christmas surprise – completely and wonderfully unexpected.

Imagine the shepherds’ stupefaction in the Bethlehem countryside, when, without warning they were startled from their dreams by a host of heavenlies. “Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger. At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, peace to all men and women on earth who please him.” (from Luke 2, The Message) They, mere sheepherders in the society in which they lived, never dreamed of being the honored recipients of such a marvelous message. Unexpected joy.

There’s an upcoming event that will not be a surprise party. Though we’re not privy to the exact time, we have been invited. “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:3-31) Won’t that be a day of sweet expected surprise?! You’ve RSVP’d, right?

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  John 1:12 (NIV)