A Different Christmas Eve

In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace. Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all. The cows will graze among bears, cubs and calves will lie down together, and lions will eat grass like the cows. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes, and a little child who puts his hand in a nest of deadly adders will pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so shall the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Isaiah 11: 6-9

“Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”). Matthew 1:23


This Christmas was certainly different for me. For the first time in 30 years, I was not at Eastridge on Christmas Eve. Our family instead gathered in Des Moines with my grandson Erik and his new bride Dani in their new home to celebrate Christmas together. We went to a church nearby whose pastor had married Erik and Dani. There was no choir and no handbells. There was no singing of Silent Night in German. There was no candy given out to the children afterwards. There was no holding hands with a friend and silently remembering our mothers there from the past. There was no congregational choir traditionally singing “Still, Still, Still”. All were strangers to us there except for the pastor. Yet despite this, we were greeted warmly, the music by soloists and the organist was beautiful. The familiar carols warmed our hearts. The scriptures were old yet new again, and a young teen led the lighting of the candles using lovely spiritual dance. The sermon was about Christmas and love. It was a beautiful service which left me in awe with the wonder of a baby born to be the savior of the world. It reminded me that we are not alone in our faith, that God is not limited by denominations, and that there is hope for all who believe. 

May peace be with you in this New Year. 

Nancy Hall

Words

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. Proverbs 13:3 

Recently I have been enjoying reading and meditating on Proverbs.  I am generally careful with words. In my job it is very important to set forth clear expectations (for example, a specific date is much more clear than “soon”). It is also important that I maintain myself as a calm captain of the ship. If I am always yelling, then when something is urgent, or concerning, or an emergency, it will be hard for people to see it as such because I only have one tone.  Conversely, if I am generally even tempered and careful, then the rare occasion when I raise my voice to sound the alarm my team knows that something is terribly wrong.  

We have all known someone who often speaks without thinking. They degrade others publicly, they offer inappropriate opinions when they were not asked for, or when the topic doesn’t involve them. We may see people who are unnecessarily nasty to those around them. A spouse or parent who is always correcting or coercing. Or a leader who says one thing in public and another in private.  It is hard to see others treated poorly with words. It hurts when someone is rash with us and we begin to question if a leader is genuine when they speak rashly to us or about others.

Even though we know that we want to treat others well and we know the example we want to set, sometimes we lose control of our tongue and we say something hurtful that we cannot take back. We then work to defend our words and actions saying things like “I was tired” or “You just kept pushing me” or “I had a bad day and this was the straw that broke the camels back”. What if in those moments we recognized the ruin and took accountability? Would it make a difference to the person on the receiving end if we simply said “I am so sorry, you didn’t deserve for me to speak to you that way”? Those moments of ruin, even with accountability and a genuine apology hold a permanent spot in our relationships and over time can do long term damage, even when that isn’t what we desire or intend. 

In a time when people say things without thinking, use words to intentionally hurt and are aggressive with faceless strangers on social media, I want to continue to work on guarding my lips, measuring my tone and focusing on the relationships I have with the people I interact with, and, for me, this verse was a wonderful reminder. 

Prayer: Creator God, who knows our words and intentions, all those things spoken and unspoken. Please help me to be careful with my words and genuine with my approach. 

Christi Moock

Like a Child

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18: 2-4

After watching the video of my grandson, Callen, taking his first steps, I thought, there's a faith message here for us all! It really is amazing the process a baby goes through to be able to walk. They must first hold their head up, then roll over. They strengthen those tummy and back muscles to sit up. I remember how he'd just tip over until his balance was better. Next, developing the mechanics of coordinating getting up on his hands, arms straight, bottom in the air, knees under him to crawl after something in front of him. Now standing up, holding onto the couch or our hands, pushing his toy for balance and legs, back, and tummy supporting him upright...until he takes his first step without assistance!

Our lives are much like a baby! Whatever transition we find ourselves in: a new job, grief, adult children leaving, waiting for a relationship, in a new relationship, moving, aging, being alone, work stress, faith journey...we need to remember the baby. He is not impatient. He just allows the walking process to happen naturally, one step at a time. He doesn't worry or look too far in advance thinking about running. He falls down...a lot. He doesn't think of himself as a failure or let fear get the best of him. He gets back up and keeps trying. He trusts his parents and loved ones to be there, not judging him that he's not walking soon enough, but to catch him when he falls or give him a steady hand. When he falls, he doesn't see it as a mistake but learns and develops from it. He falls into our arms when he becomes weary. The parents don't chastise the child but give encouragement, love, and gentle guidance. They celebrate with him in the trying.

You see what I'm saying, don't you! Jesus says to have faith as a child. The love, grace, and mercy God offers is like that of a loving parent, grandparent, uncle, or friend! The baby has had little experience yet in things that cause fear, doubt, impatience, and pain; but God, the Father, has. He knows our struggles and desires a personal relationship with us where our hearts are humble, meek, and sincere; where we open ourselves to receive his grace and love and trust in Him alone. What a miracle that God would use a small child to express his love for us!

Prayer: Father, Adulting is hard sometimes! Thank you for forgiving us in our wanderings. Help us to remember the lesson of becoming like a child. As we humble ourselves and surrender our “mature” struggles and doubt to you, may we feel secure, comforted, accepted, and encouraged; trusting you are there to walk with, guide, and love us every day. Amen

Diane Worrell Eaton

Peace Came

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.  Psalm 29:11

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. Micah 5:4-5

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Every birth is a miracle, and every child is a gift from God. But nearly 20 centuries ago, there was the miracle of miracles. A baby was born, but he was the Son of God. The Gospels tell of this birth but Dr. Luke provides most of the details surrounding this awesome occasion. With divine Father and human mother, Jesus entered history - God in the flesh. The angel appeared to Mary. And Mary would conceive by the Holy Spirit and bear Jesus, the Son of God.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid."  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sigh to you:  You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  Luke 2:8-14 

     

Peace - and we can have and accept this peace. It can be ours, and it is our choice. What a blessing for us. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the peace you brought to us. Let us accept it and live in your peace. Amen

Marilyn Albin (reprinted from 2016 Advent Devotional)

Grateful Thankful Blessed

and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:12

Ephesians 3

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.  I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

For this reason I kneel before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:1-21 NIV

Happy New Year!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19