and all through the house..the wife was running around last minute shopping, we are still writing cards and wrapping presents and I am looking forward to the last few days in work. In the office monday and tuesday at home wednesday then stop until the 2nd of January.
Stop? well maybe slow down there is still Chrstmas day (and the dinner), St Stephens day (Boxing day) and the family visits and then new year..... it is not even a slow down really
Imagine if we could just stop! recharge the batteries how much better it would be for us.
Over the last few years I have tried to slow down Christmas, especially as the Kids get older, try to re-discover what it is really all about. The "meaning" of Christ-Mass is something that is growing all the time, the more I speak to people the more I believe that to be the case.
I ask you dear reader to sit back and just look at the story... A pregenant woman and her husband summoned by the state to travel miles to register to be taxed (did not have computers in those days) full rooms in the city and a child born in a cave (a stable a barn) . The stress of the pre-Christmas period would have been there for Mary and Joseph too albeit for very different reasons. Their first born Son is safely delivered (an event in itself) and then all of these people turn up to visit bringing gifts.
Actually not very different, except for the birth, to a modern day Christmas, with some notible exceptions of course.
For one the visitors were not long lost relatives and came from all types of people, from the very rich to those that lived in dire poverty. The main present delivered on Christmas day did not cost much, just obediance to God, and would be a great gift to all on earth..... and in the dark silent night.....hope comes to earth for a great future.
If I had one gift to give all of my friends around this small small world of our, whatever their own beliefs it would be to give you a comfy chair by a log fire and read the Christmas story, then ask you to sit back in your chair and consider the gift that is offered by God..... and take your next step in this world full of hope for the future
Happy Christmas to you all...... and to all a good night!
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Its nearly Christmas
Well nearly Christmas, third Sunday in Advent to be exact, for those that care about such things. Finally have my PC back.... am running on an old VGA card until I can afford a new box but it will do for now. It's been fun catching up on everyone.
It's that time of year again running around like a ..I don't know what and tinged with sadness. Lots of films about families getting together on TV etc at the moment and all I can think of is how my own family is starting to shrink, this will be my first year without Dad. Went to buy Christmas cards yesterday and had to come home.... no longer looking for mum and dad just mum does not seem right at all, and brings tears, not an issue to weep just wish it was not in public, and I am the one everyone expects to be happy.
Lots of childrens services as you can guess. Had the main one last week and two more to go, mind I am not working Christmas day this year so can relax a bit.
Was having a discussion about Christmas and why should any of it be believed. It's quite true of course. The bible just says Christ was born but not when. Working the dates out from the stories it could be any time from October to February, the date was imposed by the Roman church to overlap on a pagan festival... not that it matters much. It is the fact that Christ was born that matters not the where or the when, and to party with presents to celebrate and to be able to sing some jolly good songs with friends and family... yeah can go with that.
But why believe? I was watching a remake of "Miracle on 34th Street" you know "do you believe in Santa" at the end of the film the young girl walks upto the judge and hands him a card with a 1 dollar bill in it. Circled on the note is the words "In God we trust"
It's one of those happy ending films. The Judge declares that for the state of New York Santa is represented in the person of Chris Tingle, lots of cheers from the cast and from me a few tears as well (get quite sentimental over films).
Something the Judge says, and yes I know it is scripted, struck me though. In his summing up he says something along the lines of "if the Goverment of the United States can print on its money 'In God We Trust' without demanding proof then I can accept Santa is real without demanding proof", faith indeed.
When Jesus came across a similar statement he replied "never have I found such faith in the whole of Israel" Given the Christmas story has been told in the bible for some 2008 (or 9) years maybe we should take a leaf out of the American Goverment and those that print in dollar bills, and say "In God we trust, and God is represented on earth in the person of Christ Jesus" Such a belief whilst not being on a dollar bill and buying you much on earth, will buy you eternal life with God.
It's that time of year again running around like a ..I don't know what and tinged with sadness. Lots of films about families getting together on TV etc at the moment and all I can think of is how my own family is starting to shrink, this will be my first year without Dad. Went to buy Christmas cards yesterday and had to come home.... no longer looking for mum and dad just mum does not seem right at all, and brings tears, not an issue to weep just wish it was not in public, and I am the one everyone expects to be happy.
Lots of childrens services as you can guess. Had the main one last week and two more to go, mind I am not working Christmas day this year so can relax a bit.
Was having a discussion about Christmas and why should any of it be believed. It's quite true of course. The bible just says Christ was born but not when. Working the dates out from the stories it could be any time from October to February, the date was imposed by the Roman church to overlap on a pagan festival... not that it matters much. It is the fact that Christ was born that matters not the where or the when, and to party with presents to celebrate and to be able to sing some jolly good songs with friends and family... yeah can go with that.
But why believe? I was watching a remake of "Miracle on 34th Street" you know "do you believe in Santa" at the end of the film the young girl walks upto the judge and hands him a card with a 1 dollar bill in it. Circled on the note is the words "In God we trust"
It's one of those happy ending films. The Judge declares that for the state of New York Santa is represented in the person of Chris Tingle, lots of cheers from the cast and from me a few tears as well (get quite sentimental over films).
Something the Judge says, and yes I know it is scripted, struck me though. In his summing up he says something along the lines of "if the Goverment of the United States can print on its money 'In God We Trust' without demanding proof then I can accept Santa is real without demanding proof", faith indeed.
When Jesus came across a similar statement he replied "never have I found such faith in the whole of Israel" Given the Christmas story has been told in the bible for some 2008 (or 9) years maybe we should take a leaf out of the American Goverment and those that print in dollar bills, and say "In God we trust, and God is represented on earth in the person of Christ Jesus" Such a belief whilst not being on a dollar bill and buying you much on earth, will buy you eternal life with God.
Saturday, 29 November 2008
a Christmas
Well this is my first full item on blogspot. couple of comments from friends of mine. This Sunday (30/11/2008) is the first Sunday in Advent, if you follow the more established Christian traditions. That is the first of the 4 Sundays before the 25th of December, Christmas day,or even Christ Mass Day, the day the Western Christian Church celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God, in the Latin a Mass a celebration.
For people like me(Preachers, Pastors etc) it is a busy period, this is were we get wrapped up in nativity plays, Christingle services, an of course the 4 advent services and then the biggy Christmas day.
In England, where I am, it is cold, damp, foggy, and if you are really lucky snow. I have three friends who have different views one in Canada who will have more snow than you know what to do with and one in N.Z who will be in their Summer and one in Aus who will be having Christmas dinner on the beach for the first time!
For those for whom I have postal addrsses we have started the manic period of writing Christmas Cards and getting them in the post before the dead-line to arrive before Christmas.
Now I am not good at all of this. I leave it to the wife, and just nod my head do as I am told..... best way, but a thought for this time of year.
Sending a card is nice it shows you are thinking of people, but how often do you try to stay in touch outside of this period. Is your friendship based on cards for those near and far on high days and holy days .
There is a lesson for all at Christmas whether you believe in its cental theme or just believe it is a winter/summer (depending on where you are) festival.
You see according to Christian thinking; this is the time of year when we recall God, the creator of the big bang, becoming man, his creation. The view is that God needed to experiance being human to know human suffering and after so many years to regain contact with his creation.
Christ was born and died, and some people treat him like....well a Christmas card.... someone we only think about at certain times but we put out of mind at other times.
Christ is a friend, the old hymn tells us "What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and greaves to bear" someone to tell all our sorrows and worries too.
I saw a bumper sticker once which said "Jesus is a friend for life not just for Christmas" and that I believe. However, for all those who read this consider how much better the world would be if we followed Jesus and put more effort in keeping in touch with our friends.... helping them through their difficult times and good times and not just keeping in contact once or twice a year.
The stories in the Bible tells us a lot about Jesus, and a lot about how God wants us to work together supporting each other.
So this is my Christmas prayer. That we all reach out to friends old and new, not just on the high days and the holy days, but every day, all because of the love God showed to his creation on that Christ-mass day all those years ago
Ian
For people like me(Preachers, Pastors etc) it is a busy period, this is were we get wrapped up in nativity plays, Christingle services, an of course the 4 advent services and then the biggy Christmas day.
In England, where I am, it is cold, damp, foggy, and if you are really lucky snow. I have three friends who have different views one in Canada who will have more snow than you know what to do with and one in N.Z who will be in their Summer and one in Aus who will be having Christmas dinner on the beach for the first time!
For those for whom I have postal addrsses we have started the manic period of writing Christmas Cards and getting them in the post before the dead-line to arrive before Christmas.
Now I am not good at all of this. I leave it to the wife, and just nod my head do as I am told..... best way, but a thought for this time of year.
Sending a card is nice it shows you are thinking of people, but how often do you try to stay in touch outside of this period. Is your friendship based on cards for those near and far on high days and holy days .
There is a lesson for all at Christmas whether you believe in its cental theme or just believe it is a winter/summer (depending on where you are) festival.
You see according to Christian thinking; this is the time of year when we recall God, the creator of the big bang, becoming man, his creation. The view is that God needed to experiance being human to know human suffering and after so many years to regain contact with his creation.
Christ was born and died, and some people treat him like....well a Christmas card.... someone we only think about at certain times but we put out of mind at other times.
Christ is a friend, the old hymn tells us "What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and greaves to bear" someone to tell all our sorrows and worries too.
I saw a bumper sticker once which said "Jesus is a friend for life not just for Christmas" and that I believe. However, for all those who read this consider how much better the world would be if we followed Jesus and put more effort in keeping in touch with our friends.... helping them through their difficult times and good times and not just keeping in contact once or twice a year.
The stories in the Bible tells us a lot about Jesus, and a lot about how God wants us to work together supporting each other.
So this is my Christmas prayer. That we all reach out to friends old and new, not just on the high days and the holy days, but every day, all because of the love God showed to his creation on that Christ-mass day all those years ago
Ian
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