Camping in the Dark

I was a Boy Scout growing up.  Just about had to be.  It ran in the family.  Dad was a volunteer for the local troop.  I have two brothers who are Eagle Scouts.  Both of them were employed with the Scouts for awhile.  One was a district executive.  My career with them was not as long and distinguished.  Didn't manage to reach Eagle status. I became too interested in music and girls at the time, not necessarily in that order.

But I did have the "privilege" of reaching what they call the Order of the Arrow in my mid-teens, and experiencing the initiation that went with attaining it. It consisted of being dumped out in the middle of the woods, far off from the rest of the world, by an adult leader, who then left me all alone to sleep there overnight.   I had a sleeping bag, tent and a few supplies in my back pack. 

I got myself set up alright. But do you know how many noises there can be in the middle of the night in the woods when you are all by yourself?  Seems like hundreds, some imaginary, some real, and some of which I didn't know the difference.

As nature would have it, invariably, I had to get up in the middle of the night and go outside to go to the bathroom.  At first I couldn't find my flashlight.  It was pitch black outside.  I knew there was an outhouse about 100 feet away.  Could I make it till morning?  Nope. Something I ate for dinner wasn't sitting right with me.  Finally, I found the flashlight and trekked out to do my business with the light shining a a path and leading the way.  I had just enough light to help me take the next few steps to where I was going.

It gave me a better understanding of the words in scripture describing God and his Word as "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."  May you remember where to find your spiritual flashlight, especially in your dark hour.

   

At the Bus Stop

Every weekday morning, school children wait at the end of our driveway to catch the bus.  Their parents, and other adults from the neighborhood, are there with them, cheerfully exchanging greetings and playfully interacting with the kids.  They watch out for cars, and keep an watchful eye on the young people.  Then they gently guide them on to the bus when it arrives.

With all that has recently occurred, in light of this holy season, I'm choosing to be thankful for those parents.  And I'm still choosing to believe the Good Shepherd is watching over and cares for each of  us, even when life doesn't work out the way we planned.
     

 

A Line in the Sand

Quite often, I try to steer God into doing the right thing, especially when it comes to MY life.  I'm living it, after all. I should know what is best.  Sometimes life seems completely wrong.  A job I wanted doesn't materialize.  The woman I wanted to marry says "no."  The friend I thought I'd have for life disappears.  Why does this happen?  What have I done to deserve this?  I've had many one-sided "heated" debates with the Divine.  When doing so, I don't get much response.  It seems God just listens and thinks:  "He'll understand it bye and bye."

Joseph must have thought the same thing.  He wanted to marry Mary, but she was "found pregnant" by someone else.  Betrayed by the one he loved most. Not good.  After wrestling with the decision, he decided he had to divorce her for both of them to save face.  Life was the pits.

Its easy to recite the verse in Romans that says "All things work for good for those who love God."  But often it definitely doesn't seem to be that way, and we get angry, flustered and just plain confused.  It hurts,  It's no fun. We'd rather not go there.

A friend recently sent me a cartoon based on the famous "footsteps" prayer.  In the first frame, a woman looks back on the sand beach, and Jesus says:  "I've been with you all the time, but there is only one set of tracks, because I've been carrying you."  In the second frame, he says, "And that long line in the sand next to the tracks, that's where I've been dragging you."

Sometimes God has to drag us kicking and screaming into the future, until, bye and bye, we figure out everything's going to be okay.  Even when betrayed by those closest to us.    

Blue Christmas

I read an article today about a Blue Christmas.  It's more than a mediocre song once done by Elvis.  Its a movement that is catching on in a few churches.  They realize that this season is a time of conflicting emotions for some people, so they hold a service or gathering time for them. 

Persons may have lost a spouse or child or experienced some other kind of loss this year, or year's past, around the holidays.  All of the colored lights don't quite sparkle as much for them.  We sing "Peace on Earth" but they find it hard to make peace in their heart with what has transpired in their lives.  Ornaments on the tree given by now distant or deceased loved ones bring bittersweet memories.

I have experienced this twice.  Once when we lost my wife's mother, and once when an estranged member of our family was "on the road" and we didn't know where he was.  Military families feel this, too, when service people are deployed overseas, for sure, but especially when their loved won't ever be coming home.

As I drive down my street there are lots of outside light displays.  Most have Christmas trees inside with lights on them, too  The blinking ones bug me, but in general I enjoy seeing them. Sometimes I've wondered why everybody doesn't put up at least a little something. But, maybe they aren't just in the mood.

I'm changing my mind.

Christmas comes, whether we are in the mood to celebrate it or not.  And it's not ultimately about gifts, or lights or feasting. As Charlie Brown reminds us, it's about God coming to be with us.  A God who says "Come to me, all who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
 
Kudos to those faith communities who take time to reach out to the "blue" in what is a busy season for all of us. More of us should join you. 



 

Shopping

I have successfully bypassed Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.  It wasn't all that hard. Guess I just found other things to do, like spend time with family and watch the Vikings lose again. Being a non-shopper in the first place and a Christmas shopping procrastinator to boot, I'm one of those people that think Dec. 20th, or so is a good time to pick up some holiday gifts.

My neighbors already have their lights up.  Judy and I will probably put ours up in two or three weeks.  We'll get a last minute deal on Christmas trees, and those of you who get a Christmas card from us know it usually arrives sometime mid-January.  I don't begrudge people getting into shopping and Christmas in general.  As a matter of fact, I kind of admire those who get into the spirit of the season.  And each year I look forward to receiving another CD of "wacky" holiday tunes personally made by a good friend of mine.

I will buy some gifts this season, of course.  If nothing else, because my wife's birthday is December 1.  I dare not forget it.  She made it easy for me, though, when we got married on June 1, exactly six months from her birthday. 

In about three weeks the two of us will sit down and make a list of what to get for people.  Her 100-year-old grandma is always hard.  What can we get her that she hasn't either bought or received in the last century? The kids are grown, so we won't be getting any little toys for them to delight in for an hour or so after they open them up.  Right now I think they just appreciate the tuition payments.  We've gotten over the idea that we have to buy presents for far-flung relatives we hardly ever see.  That leaves a few close relatives and friends, and each other.  And what we like, mostly, is just spending time together.  Gifts given are symbolic for the most part.  

We'll make this list over breakfast at a favorite restaurant.  Then we will go on a shopping blitz, kind of our personal Black Friday, and get it all done by 2 p.m.  The best part of the day will be breakfast.  I know this  goes against the grain, but we'll probably have time left over to reflect on the Reason for the Season. 

Giving

Tomorrow is "Give to the Max" day here in MN.  I know other states have it. It is big here.  Millions of dollars are raised supporting hundreds of non-profits.  We top the nation in giving per capita almost every year.

It seems like every big or little non-profit I have ever given money to has hit me up for more in the last week. I don't blame them.  It's part of their job.  But I'm not going to give to all of them.  How do I decide which ones get some cash this year?

Like most persons, I tend to follow my heart.  I had a life-transforming experience in Africa, so they will get some.  Certain illnesses run in my family, so they will get some.  I've been involved in music all of my life, so the arts will get some.  I work in and believe in the local and extended church, so they will get some.  But that still leaves a lot of alternatives.     

By "alternative" I mean just that.  We will all give holiday gifts to loved ones, friends and co-workers.  But quite frankly they already have enough.  How will I bless those who don't?  I could lavish less on those who really don't need what I give them and be more generous to those who do.

Someone once advised me to keep in mind three areas:  relief, rehabilitation and development.  Relief is sending emergency supplies that are needed because of a natural or human-made disaster.  Emergency food or donated blood in response to Hurricane Sandy is an example. Rehabilitation is helping people re-build after the emergency.  Helping people rebuild their homes after a earthquake in Haiti is an example.  Development is helping people help themselves.  Supporting High School education in a country where it is lacking is an example.

I also try to think of three areas: local, national and international.  There is need everywhere.

I'll be splitting my money up several ways and in different parts of the world.   Nobody will get my max, but several will get something.

I've never really been interested in horror movies and wouldn't spend my money on them.  I know zombies and vampires are more popular than ever, but they just seem strange and boring to me.  Halloween was never that interesting to me,  either ... UNTIL ...  I got appointed to Anoka and Ramsey.  You kind of have to embrace it if your'e going to live or work here. 

There is a huge parade that takes over this town.  I didn't know what to expect when I first went.  First of all, there are tens of thousands of people.  Secondly, you actually see very few evil characters of any kind.  It's just a big old family event.  People are just out to have a good time, and I can appreciate that.  We'll be out there rain or shine (or possible snow!) with our float and the Northern Light Band.

Halloween has Celtic roots.  They had a festival, called Samhain, which means "summer's end."  It was basically a fall festival where the farmers would celebrate getting all of the crops in before the cold winter. 

Once Christianity became the dominant religion of Europe, thought, the ancient festival took on a Christian flavor.  Some in the early church believed the souls of the dead wandered around the earth until All Saints Day. (November 1)  All Hallows Eve was the last chance for angry ghosts to gain vengeance on their enemies.  So what did Christians do?  They put on masks and costumes to disguise themselves.

I think I might actually prefer the Celtic viewpoint.  The transition from summer to winter is a transition from life to death.  Its a reminder that we are mortal.  "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."  Lest we FEAR our mortality, let us embrace the idea that through all of our transitions: God is with us.  None of us is God.  None of us is immortal.  We have a limited time on earth as "creatures" of flesh and bone.  It's alright to have a little fund this time of year.  But let's not get too carried away.  There's a bigger picture.