Forty eight minutes and counting before we begin our first of four worship services tonight! While this is Calvary's second Christmas in the new building, it is my first! Am I soooo excited! The sanctuary is gorgeous with the most beautiful poinsettias ever! (Notice I use lots of !'s when I get excited!)
Jesus' manager is filled with fresh straw. His table for Holy Communion is set. The luminaries are ready to be lit. The candles are prepared with fire extinguishers in close proximity. The praise band is warming up for the 5pm service. Brass and vocal choirs will be here before the 7pm service.
All we need is the Holy Family to arrive along with about 1,000 other worshippers! Oh- and hopefully, my boss will be here soon...because I have not prepared a sermon. (Hey, just as I wrote this he walked in- thank goodness! Whew.)
Now, I just need to decide which of the three children sermon ideas I want to use....
See you in a few...
Monday, December 24, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
All My Family Wants for Christmas...
All, the loved ones I live with, want for Christmas is either a set of ear plugs; a freshly tuned piano; or for me to stop practicing Christmas carols.
I have to admit I am not the pianist I used to be.
But it has been fun to tickle the ivories and stretch my stiff fingers with after dinner piano caroling. This experiences has brought back memories of my various piano teachers through the years. And brought back the nervous horror of recitals, concerts, and solo/ensemble contests.
You know, its weird, but I just realized that I either had piano teachers who were nuns or they had lots of cats. What is up with that?!
Anyway, I am not sure what I'll do after dinner on December 26th to terrorize, oh, I mean entertain my family. Maybe a little jazz...
I have to admit I am not the pianist I used to be.
But it has been fun to tickle the ivories and stretch my stiff fingers with after dinner piano caroling. This experiences has brought back memories of my various piano teachers through the years. And brought back the nervous horror of recitals, concerts, and solo/ensemble contests.
You know, its weird, but I just realized that I either had piano teachers who were nuns or they had lots of cats. What is up with that?!
Anyway, I am not sure what I'll do after dinner on December 26th to terrorize, oh, I mean entertain my family. Maybe a little jazz...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Commentary on Comments
The other fellows that I work with have all done a blog on the comments they have received. Good for them. They have received comments and I have not. They also have facial hair and gratefully, I do not.
But, I thought it would be fun to share the two comments that have come my way. When asking my spouse at the dinner table what he thinks about my blog, a grunt and "Did you put too much garlic in this again?" was the response.
My three year old has a fuller response. Last week as we drove to my work and her childcare we passed about eight different churches. An announcement was made from the backseat, "Momma, I can't like those churches."
"Why, Sweetie? They love Jesus too."
"Momma, I can't like those churches... (big sigh)... 'cause I like your church better (giggle)."
The vote is in... she likes my church, but cannot read and therefore has no idea what her mother writes...
But, I thought it would be fun to share the two comments that have come my way. When asking my spouse at the dinner table what he thinks about my blog, a grunt and "Did you put too much garlic in this again?" was the response.
My three year old has a fuller response. Last week as we drove to my work and her childcare we passed about eight different churches. An announcement was made from the backseat, "Momma, I can't like those churches."
"Why, Sweetie? They love Jesus too."
"Momma, I can't like those churches... (big sigh)... 'cause I like your church better (giggle)."
The vote is in... she likes my church, but cannot read and therefore has no idea what her mother writes...
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Standing Up for Christmas!
Everyone who waits on me (grocery story, checkout, drive thru, bank etc) is going to hear, "Merry Christmas!" I am proud to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world.
Our Ultimate Hero, Jesus, is a really cool guy. And He loves everybody unconditionally, even those (especially those) who make fun of him and call him names. Yes, he is like Rudolph in that way. Jesus loves us. He forgives us. And challenges and equips with His grace to try life fresh, new and different than what we've done before. That sounds better than any New Year's resolution!
Sales ads may call it "holiday shopping" or "holiday trees" or "happy holidays", but for me it is the Christ in Christmas that matters. So, it is Happy Birthday Jesus! Happy Incarnation Day- God! And Happy Future-coming-into-the-world-to-save-it-and-us-from-ourselves Day! That is what Christmas is about...and I am proud to celebrate!
Our Ultimate Hero, Jesus, is a really cool guy. And He loves everybody unconditionally, even those (especially those) who make fun of him and call him names. Yes, he is like Rudolph in that way. Jesus loves us. He forgives us. And challenges and equips with His grace to try life fresh, new and different than what we've done before. That sounds better than any New Year's resolution!
Sales ads may call it "holiday shopping" or "holiday trees" or "happy holidays", but for me it is the Christ in Christmas that matters. So, it is Happy Birthday Jesus! Happy Incarnation Day- God! And Happy Future-coming-into-the-world-to-save-it-and-us-from-ourselves Day! That is what Christmas is about...and I am proud to celebrate!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Holiday Drizzle
While parts of the US are covered in snow or ice, we in the middle of Indiana have rain. And lots of it.
Kinda makes shopping a drag. Christmas cards have ink smudges. Wrapping paper gets ruined. And don't even ask about the boxes of stuff on my front porch ordered on ebay that are now drying... I really don't think that there are any holiday songs that wish you a soggy Christmas.
I guess the only good thing about all this is- at least we are not in a drought.
Kinda makes shopping a drag. Christmas cards have ink smudges. Wrapping paper gets ruined. And don't even ask about the boxes of stuff on my front porch ordered on ebay that are now drying... I really don't think that there are any holiday songs that wish you a soggy Christmas.
I guess the only good thing about all this is- at least we are not in a drought.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Puppy's First Snow
Our family's greatest joy and entertainment came early this morning. We stood with our noses pressed against the cold glass of our sliding glass back door. There standing on the precipice of the deck step was our eight month old labrador retriever. The three of us couldn't take our eyes off him. What would he do?
Shocked by the cold wet white stuff all over his domain (our backyard) he stood perfectly still and stared at it. Stood there for a good 3 minutes. Unmoving. The he turned around and scratched on the door to be let into the house. We encouraged, we yelled, we hollared at him to go and 'do his business' in the snow, but he wouldn't go.
Finally, my husband put on his coat and shoes and walked the pup out into the snow. Where he jumped around in it; sniffed it; sneezed it back out of his nose; and then suddenly took off in a puppy like crazy sprint through the entire yard!
He wouldn't come in for 20 minutes. When he did, he wanted back out.
I think, our pup likes snow now!
Shocked by the cold wet white stuff all over his domain (our backyard) he stood perfectly still and stared at it. Stood there for a good 3 minutes. Unmoving. The he turned around and scratched on the door to be let into the house. We encouraged, we yelled, we hollared at him to go and 'do his business' in the snow, but he wouldn't go.
Finally, my husband put on his coat and shoes and walked the pup out into the snow. Where he jumped around in it; sniffed it; sneezed it back out of his nose; and then suddenly took off in a puppy like crazy sprint through the entire yard!
He wouldn't come in for 20 minutes. When he did, he wanted back out.
I think, our pup likes snow now!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Mothers at Christmas
After paying attention to both the local and nationals news media, these past two weeks, I find myself deeply saddened by the multiple reports of mothers abusing and several murdering their young children here in the USA. Words are lost on me for these children... and their mothers.
In the season of Advent, the Christian Church prepares to welcome the Savior of the world as we recognize the anniversary of his birth and as we await His final coming into the world. We celebrate by telling the stories of two amazing mothers... Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
I trust and believe that these two mothers who were able to minister and nurture one another, grieve for these situations today. And I do believe God cares about them as well.
If you know a single mom who is working, raising kids, or mothers who are frazzled anmd overwhelmed for whatever reason- please be kind. Reach out to these women. Help them and most of all help their children by offering kindness, understanding, love, and patience!
In the season of Advent, the Christian Church prepares to welcome the Savior of the world as we recognize the anniversary of his birth and as we await His final coming into the world. We celebrate by telling the stories of two amazing mothers... Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
I trust and believe that these two mothers who were able to minister and nurture one another, grieve for these situations today. And I do believe God cares about them as well.
If you know a single mom who is working, raising kids, or mothers who are frazzled anmd overwhelmed for whatever reason- please be kind. Reach out to these women. Help them and most of all help their children by offering kindness, understanding, love, and patience!
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