A Pentecost Church Apology

Dear World,

Today we celebrate the birth of the church. Around 2000 years ago people from all around the known world at that time (Asia, Africa, Europe) were gathered for the Jewish festival of Pentecost. God poured out His spirit on a group of people who were followers of Jesus. They began to speak in the languages of the people gathered there. The apostle Peter spoke to the confused crowd of onlookers, explaining that what was happening was foretold by the prophet Joel hundreds of years before. Three thousand people decided to become disciples of Jesus that day. And they stayed in the city and spent time together every day, in worship, praying and eating meals. What they had as a church at the beginning makes me envious. But I would also be a bit apprehensive of being in a similar situation. They shared everything they had, they gave a lot (sometimes all) of their money and possessions away to help the poor, and they knew each other intimately. I'm not sure I could do that, honestly.

So with that the church began and continued, spreading and growing through history. It's not an illustrious history, of course. There are plenty of shameful moments. They still happen, unfortunately. We in the church can be our biggest hindrance.

It's to be expected, I suppose. Though we follow God, we're still sinners who make stupid, selfish choices sometimes. I've made stupid, selfish choices in my life as a follower of Jesus...as a minister and leader in the church. I'm not proud of them. But God still loves me and offers forgiveness.

I think that first church on Pentecost holds some good pointers for us today, that if we try a little harder to follow, maybe you'll see us as a positive source for change and for good in the world.

1. More Diversity. It has been said that Sunday morning is the most segregated time in the week. This saddens me. I understand it--we're most comfortable with people like us. But the early church was comprised of people from every known continent. Africa. Asia. Europe. All together.

2. Gender Equality. When Peter explained what was happening by quoting from the prophet Joel, he mentioned that God's Spirit was to be poured out on all people--men and women alike. I don't see that God pours out His Spirit more on one gender than the other. His Spirit is His Spirit. With it men and women (all people) are equipped to do God's work. Just as the American workplace still has a way to go to overcome issues with gender equality, so does the church.

3. Intentional Community. People were in Jerusalem from all over the world. Those that witnessed the pouring out of the Spirit on Pentecost stayed. They spent time together every day. Meals were central to their fellowship. Too often today we go home after church on Sunday and have little contact with our faith community during the week. We need each other.

4. The Holy Spirit. Pentecost changed from a Jewish festival to a Christian holy day. It emphasizes that God has now chosen to dwell within us through His Holy Spirit. I don't fully get the Holy Spirit. It's a bit of a mystery at times. But I know that God is with us and in us and empowers us to do His will. Not our wills, but His.

Forgive us, world, for not always doing well at these things. We'll still have our failures, but we'll have some great successes, too. Give us some grace. Listen to our stories. God can do some amazing things. And He utilizes failures like us to do so. Is it His best move? Maybe not, but if He can utilize failures, then we've all got a chance and being part of something big.

Sincerely,

A Failure

The Week

Here's how this week has played out so far:

On Wednesday my wife flew to Pennsylvania to work at her research site for 10 days. She flies home on Friday and then back out to a different venue on Sunday for three more days. So she'll be home for two out of fourteen days.

On Thursday, my class at school left for an overnight camping trip (in cabins, but no electricity or running water, so it was primitive for most of the city kids). We had two days of outdoor education. The weather cooperated, and it was nice to be outside in spring weather. My youngest son's class also was on the trip, so my oldest spend the night with friends.

Those friends invited us over for supper and a movie on Friday night, so it was nice not to have to come home after a trip and make a meal. Friends are a good thing to have.

I also discovered a cold was setting in that night. I can't tell you how many tissues I've gone through.

Saturday started with my oldest son having beginning orchestra and my youngest having hockey at roughly the same time. So I dropped of my oldest with his violin at the church where they practice, then ran my youngest over to the ice arena to get all his gear on. Then it was back to the church to finish hearing my oldest, and then back to the ice arena to finish watching my youngest play. Thankfully this was all about a mile apart at most.

Saturday was also Free Comic Book Day, so after practices were finished, we visited a few comic book stores for some new reading material.
 
Today we decided to venture out to the local May Day Parade. It's the largest in America, I'm told. It's put on by the Heart of the Beast Puppet Theater which helped volunteers make all sorts of creative masks and costumes.  It's not like anything I've ever been to before. The fresh air was good, though. And there was a fun spirit of welcoming in spring. After the long winter we've had, we need it--and after the long week of rain we've had, the sun was good. I think my youngest has a little bit of a sunburn on the back of his neck.

At church tonight I went to a session that looked at haiku as a way to pray the Psalm we were reading. The busyness of the week necessitated some good, quiet prayer time. Meanwhile, the cold is still raging. More prayer needed.
We didn't get in any good Star Wars-themed activities for Star Wars Day (May 4th--as in May the Fourth be with you--get it? terrible pun, I know, but it's nationally recognized). But the boys donned their helmets for a bedtime photo.

May the Force be with you--and me--in the week ahead.

Holy Week

Crown of thorns, candle light, purple cloth

Palm leaves, ashes, cross

Epiphany

From distant lands they came
Journeying many days and nights
Guided by a star in the sky--
A special star, a sign they
Discovered through their
Astronomical studies.
Wise men: magi from
Gentile lands bearing
Treasures fit for a king.

For a King He was,
Thought not as any expected.
Not born in a palace warm,
But without even a room.
Laid for warmth amongst
The rough straw in the manger
Where the livestock fed.
Surrounded by shepherds
Rather than royal knaves.

A King like no other:
Coming to free the prisoner,
Bring justice to the oppressed,
Give sight to the blind,
And love to all who would
Have them as their Lord.
One who rules from a
Heavenly throne yet walks
Amongst the leper and whore.

What treasure can I give?
I have no gold or silver;
I lack precious incense
Or embalming oil.
And would I readily give
What I do have?
My money? My time?
My heart? My life?
These I shall try to give

To the One who alone
Is worthy of my worship;
To the one who came
To save the lost and forsaken--
People like me in need
Of a Savior, in need of
Love, in need of forgiveness.
What He has given me,
I shall return through worship.

* * * * * * *

Church was cancelled tonight because of the extreme cold in Minnesota (the Governor called off all school across the state tomorrow). Still, I wanted to be there. It's Epiphany, and I wanted to be at church for it, not at home. So I thought I'd draw and reflect upon the holy day at least.

We don't know how many magi there were. We number them three because of the gifts. The truth is there could have been more. They might not have even been all men for all we know. We don't know where they were from other than that they followed the star from the East (or the star was in the east--some translations don't make that very clear even.

Traditionally the three are given names: Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar. They are often depicted as being from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East (or Persia, India, and Arabia--do a wikipedia search if you're interested in finding out more about what the church has historically believed about the magi). It's unlikely that they were from differing continents; Matthew 2 makes it sound like they came from the same country. But if I'm going to depict the traditional three magi, I like the thought of making them from a variety of places.

They were likely the first Gentiles to come and worship the Jewish child (Jesus wasn't likely a baby nor in a stable--the text says they went to a home). This is significant. The Christ-child wasn't merely to be worshiped by His own people as many thought the Messiah should be, but by all people. Even those who maybe had no concept of the Hebrew God or the stories and laws of the Torah.

Despite all we don't know about these astronomers, we do know what they did. They came and worshiped Jesus. They brought Him gifts of significance. They knelt before Him.

These are things you and I can do. These are the actions that make us wise like them.

11th Day of Christmas: A New Year, New Adventures

We're a few days into 2014. Time passes too quickly sometimes. Too slowly at others. We had a nice New Year's Eve. Friends from church came over. We had soup and hors oeuvres. We played games. Board games, card games, dice games. The teenagers in the group pulled out their electronic devices, but we got them in on some games as well. No one was here past 11:30pm.

It's that time of year to make your resolutions. To be honest: I don't make New Year's resolutions. Never have; never will. I don't have a problem with you making them, if that's your thing. But it's not mine. Partly because I'm not good at setting goals like that. Partly because if I'm not already making some change happen in my life, then a resolution probably isn't going to make a difference (I suppose making goals could help with that). Partly because it would take some introspection to figure out what I need to change in my life and set some goals on how to make that happen (again with the goals!).

Okay, so maybe I need to be more goal-oriented. Can that be my resolution for 2014?

Goals are probably something I should take up more. Maybe my life would be different now. Maybe I'd be further along on some more successful path. Maybe I'd have that '65 Mustang rebuilt that's been sitting in the garage for years (wait, I must be thinking of someone entirely different than myself).

Goal: Be more adventurous. Be willing to take risks, and do new things. With discernment and moderation, of course.

Goal: Make a difference. In someone's life. Some where. Some how. Repeat. Daily as possible. (That whole "love thy neighbor" thing: do it.)

Goal: Be more grateful and less resentful. Complain less; forgive more.

Maybe those aren't that great of goals. Maybe I should be more concrete and specific.

Goal: Try and write another book this year. Fiction, I think. And look into having an agent this time, or a publisher that helps market better.

Goal: See A Prairie Home Companion before Garrison retires or we move from the Twin Cities. (We're actually working on a bucket list of things we want to do before we leave Minneapolis.)

Do those work? I know they're not the typical resolutions. I should be including stuff about exercising more (which right now I'm at the YMCA about 4 times a week), eating more healthfully (eating less and learning to not overeat is what I need to focus on),

* * * * * * * 

It's the 11th Day of Christmas. It's cold up here in Minnesota. And going to get colder. The governor called off school across the state for this coming Monday because of the temperatures. We're staying inside more than I'd like. But it's nice at the same time.

I read a book last year called Praying in Black and White for Men. It encourages men to doodle while they pray. Drawing becomes your form of prayer. I've done it off and on. I've done a few of them the last few days (a friend doing some drawing has encouraged me to do some more, plus we each got new sketch books for Christmas). The drawing above isn't really a meditative prayer drawing, but it's a prayer for the New Year.

A door open to new adventures. A path ahead to explore. Valleys, mountains. Ups, downs, turns, and bends in the road. You can see a little ways, but there's so much unknown.

Into the New Year we go!

Year End

The end of 2013AD draws nigh. A year of ups and downs. Of good memories and things I'd prefer to forget. But isn't every year that way? As I look back, I can choose to focus on the bad or the good, the regrets or the lessons.

The boys and I embarked on an adventurous camping trip during spring break when we still had snow on the ground at home. The entire family took trips to the Trumper family reunion in Pana, Illinois; to Eagle River, Wisconsin; and various state parks for camping. We attended the weddings of a niece and a nephew; my sister gave birth to twins. My wife did a bit of traveling for her studies/work (including to Iceland!) and finished up her coursework--she's now halfway done on her doctorate. We spent time at Bible Camp--including Anders' first full week. We saw a lot of family and friends, near and far, old and new. We did a bit of biking, swimming, sledding, painting, drawing, playing board games, playing lawn games, going to outdoor concerts, and having fun. Anders started violin lessons. Both boys had new teachers this year in school (they keep their teachers for three years typically in Montessori). And there's probably a lot of stuff I'm forgetting that happened.

I learned that in the winter I need to exercise more (when it's difficult to bike and near impossible to swim outside), so we've been doing a YMCA membership in the cold months.

I learned I need to journal more. I also learned that I need to be more conscientious about being grateful (which goes along with journaling sometimes). Both things help me reflect and keep focused on God's sovereignty.

I learned that publishing a book is rarely a money-making job. (I also learned that I'm not good at marketing or networking and could put more time into learning how to do both well.)

I learned to say no a little more to some commitments and say yes a little more to relationships.

I learned that being a father and a husband are jobs not to slack off on--that there is plenty of work to do and things to learn with both.

I learned to seize the moments as they come and not have regrets of "I wish I had..." Or I learned to seize the moment during last year's spring break and take do something I normally wouldn't do.

I am reminded to be more forgiving and gracious, less resentful, kinder, more patient, and more loving.

I don't know what 2014 will hold. Some things are pretty certain, I suppose:
Likely some ups, some downs (that seems fairly consistent). Plenty of mistakes. Opportunities. Challenges. Sadness. Joy. Times with family and friends. Things I'll be proud of; things I'll regret.

No matter how the year progresses, I have the potential to make it a great year. I can learn from my mistakes, but I don't need to dwell on them or beat myself up over them. I can look on the positive side of things ("always look on the bright side of life" as the Life of Brian reminds us). I can be hopeful and not fearful. I can learn to give thanks in all circumstances. I can be mindful of God's continuous loving presence with me. I can help my family to grow and take on new challenges.

As 2013 closes, I give thanks. I thank God for bringing me through another year. I thank Him for the opportunities we had: beaches to swim at, outdoor concerts to attend, friends we hung out with, camping and hiking trips, seeing the beauty of God's creation, the free cultural venues in the Twin Cities, moments with family, biking along the river and around lakes, playing together, laughing together, and sharing love with family and friends. I thank God for His grace and forgiveness, His mercy and love.

May God bless you in the New Year!

$anta: Another Advent Rant

I saw this sight on the way to the Y today. Don't tell me Santa isn't about consumerism! I guess he's traded in his pipe for some e-cigs.  That's my problem with Santa's brand of Christmas--it's just a branch of capitalism.

Don't get me wrong. I like the image of Santa. They jolly, old, bearded man who provides gifts to children. I like the Father Christmas image. Santa brings a lot of childhood memories, of course.

Truth be told, I don't have an issue with the lying/make believe. A little imagination and play is good. Honestly, I tend to be more like Calvin's dad sometimes. Which is dangerous because I can be a bit believable.

But Santa's brand of Christmas is very different from that of the Christ whose birth we celebrate.

Santa: keeps a list of naughty and nice; you have to behave in order to get a present
Jesus: His gift is for anyone who would believe, regardless of what they've done

Santa: encourages us to make a list of what we want; the focus is on getting
Jesus: gives us our every need; is our example in giving

Santa: comes once a year; our only interaction is possibly sitting on his lap in a mall, sharing our list with him
Jesus: with us every day; desires a relationship with us; wants us to talk with Him any time

Santa: advertises e-cigarrettes
Jesus: doesn't

I do honestly wonder if most companies would survive if it weren't for the economic boost of Christmas.

What would happen if instead of buying gifts for people who already have enough if instead we bought a meal for a homeless person? Or helped a refugee family? Or sent a shoebox of gifts to children overseas? Or bought a cow, medicine, or educational supplies for people in a developing nation?

Giving gifts isn't wrong of course. We do it because of the magi's example in giving gifts to the baby Jesus. My children have a gift under the tree. I love them. I like to give them gifts. We all do it for our families for the same reason.

But let's not confuse the Christmas ideologies of Santa with the Christmas of the Christchild.

Advent Rant

Nils and I were at the Holidazzle Parade a few weeks ago, braving the chilly Minnesota temperatures to stand outside and watch lighted floats slowly go by. One of the men in front of us at one point heckled, "Where are the menorahs? Where is the Kwanza float? This is the Holidazzle Parade, not the Christmas Parade!"

But it wasn't a Christmas parade. The floats were all from storybooks for the most part: Peter Pan, Hansel and Gretel, The Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio. And of course Santa Claus.

Nothing in the parade was focused at all on the Christ-mass. No shepherds. No angels. No Mary and Joseph. And definitely no baby Jesus. It wasn't truly a Christmas parade.

But it's not even Christmas yet. Soon. But not yet. It's Advent.

I heard a Christian singer being interviewed on the radio the other day. He was saying how he gets legalistic about Christmas. No decorations should be up until after Thanksgiving and then it's all down by New Year's Day. But if he wants to get legalistic, shouldn't he wait until Christmas Day, or at least Christmas Eve, and keep everything up until at least the twelfth day of Christmas?

Over the past few years there has been some outrage over stores telling their employees to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Chirstmas." Recently the GOP had been selling a t-shirt which reads on the front: "Only liberals say 'Happy Holidays;'" and on the back: "Merry Christmas!" As if Christmas were a political platform. (Apparently they removed that shirt from their store this week.)

Should the church be upset with people saying "Merry Christmas" before December 25? Instead we should all be wishing each other a "Peaceful Advent!"

Of course, even in the church, not everyone agrees on Christmas. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 6. Some branches of Protestantism don't even celebrate Christmas at all, believing it's not proper to have a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

I don't mean to go all Pope Francis on you, but if we're going to advocate for "putting Christ back in Christmas," shouldn't we also advocate for "putting the mass back in Christmas" as well?

My point? I'm not sure. I guess I just felt like a good rant (just wait until my Santa rant tomorrow). But I think it may be that we all have different approaches to celebrating this season. It's not a battle ground or a political ideology.

I happen to like Advent. We have our Advent candles on our kitchen table along with the devotion we read from. We often don't put up our tree until St. Nicholas or Santa Lucia Day (though we went earlier this year because of my wife's travels). Our magi and camels are no where near the nativity yet. They're traveling until Epiphany on January 6. Baby Jesus won't be in the manger until Christmas morning.

It's important to make this season meaningful for you and your family. And not in a gift-giving or holiday event way. (And I don't mind using the word holiday because I know it's root is "holy day." A day set apart. If anything, let's reclaim the "holy-days." Make them sacred. Make them holy. Remember why we observe them. Whether it's St. Nicholas Day, Christmas, the feast of the Holy Family, or Epiphany.

Until then, have a peaceful Advent.

Celebrating St. Nick

If you've been around us, you know that we don't celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus and all those trimmings. Today is our day. Kind of. 

Today we observe the celebration of St. Nicholas: the real saint whose image and life lent itself to forming some of the modern day Santa Claus image. St. Nicholas grew up in a wealthy family in Greece in the late third century. His parents died when he was young, but he continued with his pious upbringing. He is said to have given away much of his wealth (including a story of leaving gold coins for three young, impoverished virgins whose family had no money for their dowries; in one version the coins are dropped down a chimney, in another they are placed in the ladies' hanging, drying stockings).

So we observe the day by talking about his life, trying to find ways to give to others, and giving a family present that will provide time together. My wife flies out of town in the morning, so we enjoyed an evening home together making pizza for supper and mixing up some gingerbread to pass on later (plus, the temperatures were dipping into negative temperatures, so we decided to skip Holidaze on 44th, a nearby neighborhood mile-long festival of hayrides, ice carving, hot cocoa, and other fun activities). The gift was a new board game which we played together. 

Yesterday my wife took the boys shopping to finish purchasing a few more objects for the shoe boxes we send overseas through Operation Christmas Child. It's our way of giving to children who wouldn't don't get presents otherwise; hopefully they experience the gift of Jesus as well. The boys and I will deliver those tomorrow to the local collection center (thankfully there's one in the Cities or we would have to prepare way ahead of time).

Hopefully our children learn to keep giving and serving others (as they get older I hope we can fit in some service work during this season). Hopefully they find that giving is a good thing, and that this time of year doesn't have to be filled with materialism. While they enjoy looking at the occasional Target circular we might receive (which is rarely), they don't pour over toy catalogs making lists of things they expect to be given at Christmas. They do get a present under the tree from us on Christmas morning as well as a stocking of smaller treats, but hopefully they are finding that the waiting part of Advent isn't about waiting to open presents. We can only try to instill in them those values at least. 

So may you discover the blessings of a life like St. Nicholas: of following the Christ Child and giving to others.

Thanksgiving: The Good Life

However you feel about the history of the First Thanksgiving, I find it a laudable example of colonists and Native Americans coming alongside one another. The history afterward between the colonists and natives may not be exemplary in all occasions, but neither were the histories between the Native American tribes.

First, some historical facts I was reminded of today:

The first national observation that George Washington called for was to be a day of fasting and giving thanks. "Humiliation" was a common term used with proclamations of thanksgiving by the Continental Congress and later. It is a stark contrast to our feasting followed by shopping gluttony today.

Abraham Lincoln was the first President to institute Thanksgiving as a national holiday (upon the insistence of the woman who wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb"). In the midst of the Civil War, Lincoln declared a time of giving thanks to help bring the nation together.

As I was listening to NPR on our drive to be with family today I was reminded in the midst of interviews with Anne Lamott and Julia Sweeney how wonderful of a holiday Thanksgiving can be. It's something everyone can celebrate. We all have something to be thankful for. We also don't need to have a specific deity that we follow in order to be thankful (though, of course, I have my thoughts on the God who provides everything).

I've written before about how "gratitude evaporates frustration" (as learned from my old mentor in camping ministry). There have been scientific studies on how gratitude increases our level of happiness. In short, gratitude is a good thing. It gets us out of ourselves and reminds us that we need others.

I know I need to be more thankful through out my day--every day of the year. I don't take enough time in the midst of work and parenting and life to look at all I have and be thankful for it all. I'm more apt to focus on the things that are stressful, annoying, or bothering me. And focusing on those things gets me back inside myself where it's all about me in a selfish way. But when I'm focused on gratitude I realize how blessed I am and how I have nothing to worry about, complain about, or fear.

I'm getting some time this holiday with my new twin nieces whom I'm finally getting to see for the first time. My sister (herself a twin) had some complications toward the end of her pregnancy and the girls were born a bit early and spent time in the NICU. But they're both beautiful and growing well.

They can't take care of themselves; everything they need is provided for them by their parents. I have a Father who provides everything I need as well. More than I need. Certainly more than I deserve. For all I have been given, I am grateful.

Thanksgiving reminds me that life is good.

May the Fourth

It was a busy day. Our oldest son was at his first non-family-member sleep-over last night as a friend from school was doing a birthday celebration. We picked him up this morning. Apparently 2am was the going bed time. I expected he would have been the one who bowed out early. He's done it before at family gatherings--when he's tired enough he'll tell me he needs to go to bed. We'll see what manner of grouchiness tomorrow brings if he doesn't sleep in long enough.

After his brother and I picked him up, we headed to a local comic book shop. Today was the coinciding of two of our favorite non-religious holidays: Free Comic Book Day and Star Wars Day (dubbed so by fans years ago because it's May the 4th--as in May the Fourth be with you. Yes, nerds enjoy a good pun). So we stopped in and got a few of the free comics they offered. Unfortunately, they didn't have the free Pippi Longstocking comic that my wife desired, so we were going to have to try another comic book store. Much to our chagrin, of course.

I'm not naive enough to think all comics are good. Decades ago there was a fairly successful movement to censor comics and make sure they were all moral and such. They're not all, of course. There's plenty of violence and immorality and women who are drawn way out of proportion. But there's a lot of good stories and fun to be had. Good to triumph over evil, superpowers to be bestowed upon weaklings, and puns to be said.

But before we got to the next store, we had a stop at Home Depot for their kids' workshop. Today's project: a herb planter. Which wasn't a big project. One screw for attaching two pieces of wood. It ended up being more of a painting project. Which was fine. They boys enjoyed it thoroughly.

Then, onto the second place for comics. Which they had a few books that the first store didn't have. But still no Pippi Longstocking. So our quest continued. For my wife, of course. (It didn't hurt that the boys remembered that the third store we were aware of had a Captain America cake last year.)

The third store finally had the Pippi book (though I thought they were out of it at first, because the comic was turned over--often there are two comics put together for the free books and the flipside was what was facing up).

We were all tired by that point, so we headed home. The boys did some reading while I did laundry, cleaned bathrooms, and worked on the pizza dough for supper.

So we had to finish off the evening by celebrating Star Wars Day. The boys picked out Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (after I steered them away from Episode I). Besides being a fun movie to watch, the original Star Wars movies offer a lot. I won't try and make biblical parallels, but there is, of course, the story of forgiveness and redemption as Luke tries to turn his father, the evil Darth Vader, back to the good side. He knows there's good in him yet. And he is right. Even after his father has sliced off his hand, killed his mentor, tortured his friends, and had a hand in the massacre of his foster parents, Luke doesn't give up on old Anakin Skywalker.

And Luke himself is a story of growing from a whiny farm boy who would rather go with his friends to Tosche Station than do his job, to a whiny Jedi-in-training for whom everything is impossible, to finally a Jedi knight who is showing signs of maturity and wisdom. Not to mention that a back-world farm boy can save the galaxy for a seemingly undefeatable evil.

And of course we learn that we are the ones in control of our destiny. Not our parents--even if they happen to be the Dark Lord of the Sith who force-chokes everyone who disagrees with him. Not even the force ghosts of our mentors who try to get us on the right path. We always have the power to make our own choices, no matter what forces are working for or against us.

There's a lot more that could be unpacked, but needless to say, we enjoyed watching the movie together. And of course there are plenty of free comic books to read (especially after visiting three stores) at bedtime. So May the Fourth be with you. (To which I always want to reply, in good liturgical fashion, "And also with you.")

Epiphany: of Stars, Wise Men, and the Insignificant

Epiphany. A word than means manifestation or revelation. The church celebrates today--after twelve days of Christmas--when the magi visited the young Christ-child and worshiped Him, when the Messiah was revealed to people from around the world.

We like to think of three men from eastern Asia who visit the stable with the shepherds and give the baby their gifts. Like the account of the Christmas story, a lot of what we picture happening isn't actually in the Bible. So, here's the text if you haven't read it recently:

Journey of the Magi by James Tissot,
from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12, NIV (from BibleGateway.com)

Here's what I notice is different from what we typically think happened:

Epiphany stars at Abbey Way Covenant Church

• The wise men weren't kings. Magi comes from the same root as magician; they were likely royal astrologers, Zoroastrians from Persia.
• The Bible doesn't say there were three of them (the number comes from the gifts they bring).
• The star first leads them to Jerusalem, not Bethlehem. 
• Despite not being Jews and likely being Zoroastrians, they come to worship Jesus.
• Herod knows this is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
• All of Jerusalem was afraid at these events, not just Herod.
• Still, it is Herod who sends the magi on to Bethlehem.
• The star appears a second time. This time over Bethlehem.
• Jesus is no longer at the stable in a manger. The text says He is at a house. Some scholars think He may have been two to four years old at this point.
• The text says only Mary and Jesus are at the house, not Joseph.
• God talks to these pagan magi in a dream.

So the story is a little different than often depicted. Sometimes I think it's good to let our stories be shaken up a little. The visit of these magi was a big deal. They showed us, right away in Jesus life, that the Messiah wasn't just for the Jews. This was big news (though many prophets said that the Gentiles would receive salvation as well) at the time. Judaism was very, well, Jewish-centric. But here we have pagan foreigners, likely adherents to another religion, recognizing Jesus as the king of the Jews and bowing before Him. That doesn't happen often to babies born in stables. 

They give the Christ-child three ordinary, yet unusual gifts. Gold is a gift for a king. Frankincense is a gift for a God, burned in worship, it's smoke symbolic of prayers going heavenward. Myrrh is an embalming oil used on the dead--a gift for a mortal (and not your usual gift for a baby). King, God, and suffering mortal. ("Glorious now behold Him arise / King and God and sacrifice.")

The story reminds us that God is the revealer. He gives epiphanies. We need to be seekers to notice them. He uses His creation (including stars, including us) to reveal Himself to others, to point them to Jesus. It reminds us that God uses the insignificant (including stars, including us) to reveal the magnificent. Think about it: the light from Proxima Centuri, the closest star to our sun, takes over four years to reach earth. If the star the magi saw was a regular star (not a comet or some other astronomical phenomenon), things had to have been in play years before Jesus was born for the magi to see it. If it was a star, it was one out of a billion. Nothing special, yet it was. God works ahead of events, putting things in motion to reveal Himself to those who are ready to find Him.

Mary was insignificant (and I'm sure she never expected magi, let alone shepherds, to show up to visit her son). The stable was insignificant. Bethlehem was insignificant. A wooden cross was insignificant. Bread and wine were insignificant. Yet God used them all to reveal his glory and love.

You and I are insignificant. But, if we're willing, we can be used in very significant ways.

A light has shone in the darkness. God-with-us has been revealed. Light still shines in the darkness: of our neighborhoods, of our work places, of our schools, of our homes, of our souls. Keep seeking: the presence of the King will be revealed.

Good-bye 2012

The East Coast is about to ring in 2013. I just got the boys in bed after coming home from a party at a friend's house. I don't know if I'll stay up for the next hour and a half.

2012 was quite a year. There is plenty I'm glad to have behind me. Plenty of struggles, hurts, sorrows, pains, etc. But, of course, there were a lot of great things. I went from being a substitute teacher to having a regular job. We had some good camping trips and a trip to the Boundary Waters. We had some good trips to visit family, including our extended family reunion in Pana, Illinois. My book was published. There's a lot of things I'm sure I'm forgetting.

It was a year of natural disasters, terrible atrocities, wars, the Olympics, an election, and plenty of other news (much of which wasn't really newsworthy). But 2012 is about over, and we are about to commence a new year.

Time is an odd thing. It is strictly dependent for us upon our rotation on our axis and around the sun. Time is completely different everywhere else in the universe. A day on Venus is longer than its year (243 earth days for one Venus day compared to 225 earth days in one year there). On Jupiter a day is less than 10 earth hours. The light we see from the sun is eight minutes old. If we could see what was going on around the nearest star, we'd be looking several years into the past.

It only makes sense that God is outside of time, even if we can't comprehend what that is even like. Time, as Albert Einstein taught us, is relative. It's an odd thing. It's very important, yet means very little.

But it matters how we spend our days, what we do with our time. Each minute is a gift. I too often abuse or waste those gifts. But sometimes, on a rare occasion, I do well with it. I use it to love God, to love my neighbor, to love my self.

I can't change the past. Though I regret some of it, it still remains what it is. But time doesn't have to be wasted completely. I can learn from it. I can strive to do better with it. I can let the tough times or the times of failure be times that I grow from.

As Captain Picard said in Star Trek Generations, "Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived. After all Number One, we're only mortal"

May time be a good companion with you in the years ahead.

About Those Holiday Decorations...

Recently we got the film The Nightmare Before Christmas from the library to watch. None of us really liked the movie much, but it was an interesting juxtaposition of the fear-mongering of Halloween trying to get in on the joy of Christmas. I read that it was inspired from seeing Christmas displays in stores immediately after Halloween.

I've had a few friends and acquaintances mention getting up Christmas decorations around their homes already. Forgive me friends, I mean no offense, but don't rush the holidays.

Getting ready for the holidays isn't about "getting in the spirit" or enjoying the mood that comes with them. Each holiday has it's own meaning, which we often loose in the commercialism of them. And, yes, holidays have changed over time. Most holidays we celebrate today were rooted in pagan festivals. Christians redeemed many pagan holidays to mark the rhythms and celebrations of the Bible.

Halloween, unfortunately, overshadows All Saint's Day--a day to remember our loved ones and other saints who have passed away. We miss the blessing of grieving and remembering when we focus on the fear, the costumes, and the candy.

Thanksgiving becomes overshadowed by Black Friday. We moved rapidly from giving thanks for what God has given to trying to get as much more as we can on sale. Thanksgiving itself often becomes "Turkey Day" with added focus on football.

The word "holiday" is a contraction of sorts of "holy" and "day." Holy, meaning separate, set apart. They were meant to be meaningful and different. I encourage you to savor each day (not just of the holidays, but of each and every day).

Christmas doesn't start until December 25th on the church calendar (unless you're from one of the groups who use the Julian calendar and celebrate it on January 6 or 7 or even the 19th). Those twelve days of Christmas we sing about? Those stretch from December 25 until January 6.

The rest of December is pretty much under Advent. Advent is about waiting. We wait for Christmas just as the world waited for the Christ to come and save. Practicing four weeks of waiting is good for us--good for the soul. So is practicing Thanks-giving (a focused day of giving thanks to remind us to be thankful each day for what we have).

We don't put up our Christmas decorations until St. Nicholas Day usually (though sometimes it happens on Santa Lucia Day). We do this intentionally. I know of some families who don't do anything until right before Christmas Day.

I'm not trying to tell you when to put up your decorations, or when not to. But I am encouraging you to not rush the holidays--to take the time for each one and to mark it in meaningful and special ways.

Right now for me (and my family) is a time of giving thanks. Thanks for our veterans. Thanks for our democracy. Thanks for all I have been given.

And then, in gratitude, I will wait. I will wait for Christmas to arrive. I will wait because instant gratification helps no one grow or savor the moment or appreciate the arrival of what has been given. I will wait because my body and my soul needs time to slow down and be present.

To everything there is a season.

Celebrate

Pipers in the parade

It's been a week of celebrations.

Wednesday, of course, was Independence Day. We left home early to head out to Delano (home of Minnesota's oldest and largest 4th of July parade) where some friends live on the parade route. They invite family and friends over for a day of watching the parade and eating. This year the host along with his father and some friends got together and played some blues songs in the alley behind their house in the afternoon. Despite nearly 100 degree temperatures, we all had fun.

On the way home, we stopped at a lake to cool off for a quick swim (along with a couple hundred other people). Then we headed down to our old stomping grounds in St. Louis Park for fireworks with friends and friends of friends. We still love watching them there--you get to sit up close and personal, and they're really good fireworks for a smaller suburb.

Yes, that would be our child in a Canada
shirt on Independence Day

Yesterday Anders had friends from school over to celebrate his birthday. We (as usual) went simple and set up a pool, slip-and-slide, and a sprinkler in the yard for the kids to cool off with on yet another hot day (all week was upper 90s with at least one day in the 100s). My wife made a superb ice cream cake (we made the kids eat fruit first). Water balloons may have also been involved.

Today was Anders' actual birthday. After breakfast in bed (a tradition) we headed down to the Mall of America (I tried to persuade him to do something outside--the zoo or anything besides the Mall, but he wanted to go to the Lego store and we had four tickets for rides at Nickelodeon Universe). After a new Lego set and getting to ride a few things, we headed across the street to Ikea where a birthday lunch of Swedish meatballs had been requested. 

Picture by Anders

Pizza was requested for supper, so we sacrificed and cranked up the oven to make a couple homemade pizzas (Anders' half was ham and pineapple--his favorite), but ate outside which was slightly cooler than the kitchen by that point. We ended the evening with some archery (Beth had made him a quiver for his arrows for his birthday) and a dip in the lake (both boys have gotten good at swimming despite having only gone a few times this year).

Tomorrow we're off to celebrate another birthday party--this time for one of Nils' classmates.

The 8-year old

There is much to celebrate...(including the cooler weather that rolled in last night)

Pagan Rituals, Christmas and Transformation

Every Christmas (and at many other holidays as well), the anti-religious like to point out that Christmas is a made up holiday. Jesus wasn't born in December (probably in the spring since the shepherds were out in the fields). And the church just made Christmas in December to Christianize some of the many pagan festivals that happened around that time.

And, yes, Advent isn't in the Bible, nor does it tell us to celebrate it. Some within the church may think that observing Advent isn't something Christians should do. But to me, Advent is important. It helps shift my focus off the commercialization of Christmas which begins around Halloween now, into being focused on having a slower, more meaningful pace not focused on making lists of presents I want. Observing Advent, as well as the church calendar as a whole, helps establish rhythms to our family's life. Advent also reminds me to be prepared for Christ's return, helping me not get lax in my faith

And yes, the critics are right about Christmas. It is a made up date that likely had been some pagan observance. And some of our symbols (such as the Christmas tree) may have had pagan meanings initially as well.

But does that matter? So what if our religious celebrations were once pagan? Isn't Christ about transformation? Isn't that what He does? He takes our "pagan" souls and transforms them. He pours His Spirit into us helping us to live as new creations. Why shouldn't we transform holy days as well?

Someday we will be perfect. For now we are still sinful beings, forgiven and given grace, but still sinful. The Holy Spirit transforms us daily, more and more into Christ's image, if we allow His will instead of our own. That transformation will be complete when Christ returns...which we await for during Advent. Actually, Advent is just a strong reminder for us to live the rest of the year waiting for Christ to return. Which is part of why I celebrate it.

Celebrating the Saints (Nicholas and Lucia)

Today was Santa Lucia Day. Lucy was an Italian saint that the Scandinavians love, mainly because her name means "light" and her feast day is during the darkest part of the year...right before Christmas.

So today we put up our Christmas tree, with lights aglow. The lights not only brighten up a dreary time of year, but remind us of the Light of the World whose return we await...and who calls us to be His Light in our community.

Since we missed celebrating St. Nicholas Day last week, we did that tonight as well. We read a story about the real St. Nicholas. As we discussed his generosity, the importance of giving and the reason why he gave to others. We asked the boys to think about ways they might give to others in need (beyond the shoeboxes we packed for children overseas the week before). We also gave the boys a gift, noting we give to them out of love and we hope they will keep that in mind during the Christmas season (Santa doesn't visit us, but we talk about the historical figure behind him instead, sharing gifts in St. Nicholas name now rather than bringing more into the celebration of Jesus' birth. I share this not to pass judgment or say my way is right, but merely to share our story of trying to make the Advent and Christmas season less hectic and more meaningful for our family. May you find the same in your own traditions).

Feast of St. Nicholas

Today is the St. Nicholas Day--the commemoration of the life of the Bishop of Myra. The man who supposedly dropped gold coin into the stockings of three young virgins that were hanging up to dry in order to save them from being sold. There are many legends surrounding most saints (including St. Nicholas), some of them are quite fanciful. It's hard to believe some of the hagiography at times--some is very unbelievable. I personally love that about the stories of the saints. I think we need to be open to the mystery and impossible.

St. Nicholas is the real man behind Santa Claus. Santa Claus gift given arose out of Nicholas' generosity as a follower of Jesus. His life was marked by giving to the poor and needy because he followed Jesus example in living. Unfortunately, Santa Claus has become more associated with "gimme, gimme, gimme" than "give, give, give."

Normal on St. Nicholas Day we talk about who St. Nicholas was with the boys (and often show them the Veggie Tales story...which doesn't quite capture the reality, but carries the same inspirational message of St. Nicholas). We sometimes deliver our shoe boxes of gifts for Operation Christmas Child (which we did this past Saturday), reminding the boys about why we give. And we give them a gift in the spirit of St. Nicholas (in lieu of getting presents from Santa Claus on Christmas Day).

We weren't able to do our normal tradition tonight. Beth is out of state, and Nils' class had a potluck at school for supper. In the meantime, friends had invited us to their house to enjoy their town's lighting of the Christmas tree celebration and then celebrating the Feast of St. Nicholas at their house. So we went to the potluck and got to our friends' house in time for their Feast of St. Nicholas liturgy. It was a nice time of worship, feasting (yummy cupcakes!) and meeting old friends and new. And each of us had a gold chocolate coin in our shoe when we left.

So, we ended up not holding tightly to our tradition (which is only a few years old, of course)...which is how traditions are supposed to be. They're supposed to aid us in our observance of something holy or memorable, not make us sticklers for doing something for the sake of upholding ritual.

We'll put up our tree and do our St. Nicholas gifts next week after my wife is home. Probably on Santa Lucia Day. And hopefully, as the boys get older, we can work more opportunities to give into the Christmas season.

Gratitude

While I don't wish more work upon my pastor, I miss gathering at church for a Thanksgiving Eve service. This is probably mostly out of nostalgia, as it tended to be our small, rural Iowa churches that I have been a part of that held Thanksgiving services. This make sense as these churches are tied to the land, tied to the farmers who receive the fruits of their labors this time of year. There, hopefully, is much to be thankful for.

Part of the Thanksgiving Eve service was bringing forward our gifts for the world missions offering. We had soup cans with specially designed labels that looked like Campbells but said Covenant World Mission. We had been collecting change throughout the year; typically the children brought the change forward, placing the cans in a pile at the front of the church.

Church is a fitting place to be for giving thanks (not that we only give thanks at the end of November). Tonight we were with our small group from church. Tomorrow we gather with friends (we're not traveling to be with family this year).

Church groups, friends, family...all fitting places to give thanks. Circles of relationships God puts us in for the sake of experiencing Him, community, forgiveness, grace, mercy and love. Sometimes these relationships are hard...holidays can bring up painful memories and empty spaces.

No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we all have things for which we can give thanks. There is something in the act of thanksgiving that changes us. It acknowledges that we cannot supply all our needs on our own; it takes our eyes of our selfish pursuits and desires. In giving thanks we must momentarily relinquish our envy, greed or unhappiness and give ourselves into a spirit of gratitude if only for a minute.

When our boys are being ungrateful or in a bad mood, we have them name five things they are thankful for. It's a good practice for us all. May tomorrow not be the only time we pause to give thanks. May you find moments to pause in gratitude each day.

Christ: the King

Today on the church calendar we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. As Americans we have a hard time understanding kingship. But if we call Jesus our Lord, we have pledged our allegiance to Him alone and, in theory--if not practice, made Him Lord over every area of our life. We have made the choice to let Him rule and have His say in our daily decisions.

Christ's reign has been referred to as "The UpsideDown Kingdom." He doesn't always go along with the social norms. Frequently He turns them upside down. The last in our society shall be first in His Kingdom. The social outcasts get attention, the lowly are raised up, the undesirables are given care. Disrespected women are looked in the eye. Those who couldn't afford health care are healed. The immigrant and alien are made a part of the family. The sinner is forgiven.

Christ chooses unlikely followers: fishermen, tax collectors, traitors. He makes leaders out of lowly people: Abraham, Moses, David. He expects His followers to stand up for the orphaned, the widowed, the alien, the oppressed (honestly--it's in the Bible, you can look it up!). He's not looking for the most qualified, but those who are willing to follow--no matter how much they mess up or how shady their past is.

It's the end of the church calendar year. Next week we begin anew in Advent, awaiting the coming of our King--celebrating both His incarnational coming as an infant and His future return in glory. How does the Lordship of the one who's birth we celebrate next month play out in your life?