This past week I have started my preparations for Christmas. First of all there are countless lists! Lists of meals depending on who will be here and when and lists of ingredients for said meals. As I have the luxury and time to shop around, I have different lists for each shop I go to - the cheap shop, the freezer shop, the supermarket, the family butcher, lists of extras, just in case, the shop that has that special something I can't get anywhere else... ... I keep adding to the lists as I remember things I need to get. That's my own coping mechanism - I'd be lost without my lists! Then of course there are the to do list, the wish lists, both given to family and received from family so that we all get more or less the things that we really want, hopefully avoiding recycling of presents or putting them in a drawer to be forgotten.
Apart from the shopping for food and presents there are of course other preparations. The Christmas tree and decorations are down from the loft, thanks to my son, and are ready for tomorrow the 1st of December. The usual ornaments have been put away to make room for the Christmas ones. Christmas cards and newsletter have been written and ready to post. Some for abroad were posted earlier this week. And of course there is the list of people I send cards to each year so I don't forget anyone. Some meals I like to prepare from fresh ingredients and freeze ahead of time ready just to take out and defrost when needed so the freezer is gradually being stocked up. I am also pleased that I live in the northern hemisphere where there is less to do in the garden at this time of year so I can set my attention to other things while still enjoying the blooms on my Christmas Cactus. It seems that even the house plants are preparing for Christmas. People who are involved in a play or pantomime, carol service or concert have already been preparing and practicing for some weeks even months ready for the big day when they do it for the public.
Of course Christmas is not just about eating, a day off work and receiving presents. That happens to be the way that we like to celebrate a special occasion. Christians prepare for Christmas throughout the time of Advent. The original Advent Calendar where we open the window each day to reveal an aspect of the Christmas story, was a good reminder of the other face of Christmas - the reason behind the celebration. Nowadays a very popular Advent Calendar is the one where each day on opening the window you get some chocolate goodie. Now I like the idea of having a little bit of chocolate each day but I have decided this year to make my own sort of Advent Calendar. As I was reminded this week that our American friends celebrated Thanksgiving, I decided to make my own Advent Calendar of Thanksgiving. It's a list really where each day I think of something for which I am particularly thankful.
That just about sums up my preparations really - enjoy all the busyness, the little chocolate treats, the giving and receiving but be reminded of why I'm doing it all and be thankful to God.
We are told that it is important that we have aims and objectives in our lives in order to motivate us to higher and better things. One of the favourite questions to a child is 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' It has been said that John Lennon, when asked that question by a teacher, replied that he wanted to be happy. The teacher, allegedly commented that he hadn't understood the question and John Lennon, in his inimitable way suggested that he had in fact understood the question perfectly but the teacher had not understood his reply.
Just about every group, company, industry, committee or service will happily lay out their aims and objectives to us the customer, client, receiver, largely to try and impress. It is fine to say what we are hoping to achieve and make clear the aims of our business or group. But then the matter goes another step further and the aims become targets. We begin to put numbers on our aims. It is then that the hopes become obligations and the stress kicks in until the targets become an obsession. We have seen this happen across the board in industry and public services. Sometimes the target figures become all important and the only thing that matters, often to the detriment of the actual service given. Some even fiddle the figures in order to give the impression of having achieved what they set out to do. It's as though nothing else matters. And if as a worker you don't reach your targets then, woe betide, you can be hauled in front of the higher management and told in no uncertain terms that your work is not good enough and that if your targets are not reached within a certain length of time then your employment could be in jeopardy. That seems to me to be a way of stressing people out even more to the point of making them ill rather than a way to motivate them.
The sad thing is that I have witnessed that even Christian groups use these methods of having a 5 year plan and saying that within 5 years just what they hope to have achieved. I say it's sad because that is not the way that God works. We don't have to pass some test or learn a certain number of verses of the Bible by heart. He doesn't expect us to say that we have brought so many people to our group or we have carried out so many 'good deeds' this week. He doesn't give us a check list that we tick off every day the things that we have accomplished in His name. No wonder some Christians go around looking as though they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. That's not the way He works. It's not about numbers or how many activities we are part of. There is no striving or competing one against the other or one denomination against another. He just loves us and tells us to rest in Him. 'My yoke is easy' He says. We are told simply to follow Him and do as He asks us and if we don't manage to fulfil what we have hoped He won't get rid of us. Just the opposite - He gives us a big hug and reminds us that He loves us unconditionally for who we are and not for what we've achieved.
When I was younger, I had my aims firmly in my mind. I was going to change the world! That didn't happen! But I know that God's love for me is as real today as it was then. Those expectations were mine, not God's.
I enjoy reading the blogs of other people and regularly catch up with quite a number. Some leave me pondering throughout the day and others seem to confirm something that I have been thinking for some time. This week I read such a one by Martin Scott. (You can see his 12 min videocast here under Pentecost as paradigm #3). The whole idea that God works outside of the established church is not a new thought. Although we like to think that God chooses to work through Christians, the fact remains that many times we see what seems to be God at work in a situation where there is no church.
I was thinking about Galileo who dared to suggest that not everything revolves around the earth. We are not the centre of the universe. He was persecuted for that thinking and was forced to recant by the Inquisition but time proved that he was indeed right. Nowadays we know of course that the earth and all the other planets in our universe revolve around the sun and not as was thought previously that everything revolved around the earth. It seems to me that we are living in a time when a great number of Christians who have moved outside of the established church are saying a similar thing. Not everything revolves around us, the Church, Christians. God does work through these means but He also works outside of us and often without us. This is difficult and almost heretical for some Christians to accept. If we insist that God is confined to work through Christians, then we are limiting God to our ideas and thinking. God is bigger than anything we could imagine so surely it is possible for Him to work in some way outside of our understanding and without our help.
As Martin Scott mentions, this thinking is very biblical. Peter was made to realise this truth when he had the dream and told to eat, re-enforcing that truth that nothing that God has created is unclean. Later when Peter visited Cornelius, he came to the realisation that Cornelius was searching for God and truth and that God was indeed working in his life. Cornelius was not a Christian, hadn't heard the disciples' message about Jesus and wasn't even an adherent of the Jewish faith. He was a Roman centurion but he was a good man and searching for God. Peter had to undergo a complete change of mindset to go into the house of a Gentile and accept that God could reach those who were not of the Jewish faith and did not need to become part of the Jewish community. While Peter was telling them about Jesus, Cornelius and his family were all baptised in the Holy Spirit. In the end Peter had to accept that God was at work in ways and places that the disciples knew nothing about. Throughout the centuries God has continued to work in unexplained ways and places and in people beyond our Christian input or evangelism.
Simon the Cyrene, a foreign visitor to Jerusalem was made to carry the cross for Jesus. This must have had an impact on him as his sons Alexander and Rufus (mentioned in Matthew's gospel) were later mentioned among the early church followers. We also see Philip transported to meet the Ethiopian eunuch and baptise him. A eunuch was a man who was recognised for his sexuality - today we would call him gay. On both occasions God meets with those on the margins of society before they have contact with (and so have no input from) those who follow Jesus. We sing 'Jesus, be the centre'. These are not just words that make us feel a bit emotional. It is a truth that we need to embrace fully. The body of Christ does not revolve around us, it revolves around the Son and the Godhead can work with or without us as He chooses among Christians or people of other or no faith. We have to stop limiting God to our concept of Him - He is much bigger than that and works among ALL who seek Him, whoever, whatever and wherever they are, with or without our help or input.
It is that time of year again when people are wearing a poppy. The tradition began way back in 1920 when the very first poppy was used by the American Legion to commemorate American soldiers who had died in the 1914-18 war. It was then adopted by the UK and some other Commonwealth countries, notably Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The whole idea of using a poppy was based on the poem 'In Flanders Field' written on May 3rd 1915 by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae. He wrote it after witnessing the death of his friend in a field in Flanders. He noticed how the poppies grew up around the soldiers who lay there having sacrificed their lives on the battle field. And so the poppy, a wild flower growing in the fields came to symbolise the sacrifices of war. Nowadays in the UK it is the symbol of the British Legion and their appeal as a charity for much needed funds to help soldiers and families affected by conflict.
Over the years there have been a number of different versions of the simple poppy. This year there seems to be a great number of quite large poppies, still to be worn on the lapel. Also there are ever more elaborate ones with crystals used more as jewellery and also enamel brooches and pins. I don't know why people cannot just use the humble poppy as before. Is it for some sort of attention seeking where they are noticed for having a really large version? Has it become more of a fashion accessory? Is it that it looks as though they are more patriotic than the rest who wear the simple poppy? It would seem that their contribution is therefore bigger than that of others - except that for many of the most expensive ones only a small percentage of the price actually goes to the charity. There is a danger that the whole idea of remembering those who have sacrificed much has been somewhat side-lined and overshadowed by a personal effort to 'look good' and be well thought of.
There are varying views of the wearing of the poppy. Some feel that it glorifies war and prefer to use the white poppy that is a symbol of peace. There is also a purple poppy to commemorate animals that have died in conflicts. I remember a dear uncle, a wonderful Christian man, who was taken prisoner by the Japanese during WWII and forced to work on the Siam railway. He never wanted to talk about those war days or his memories saying that war makes people on both sides do some dreadful things. Harry Patch, the last veteran of the 1914-18 war is quoted to have said that war is 'organised murder'. Many who come back from a war zone traumatised and wounded, often just want to forget the dreadful experiences they have had and try to find some closure and healing in order to rebuild their lives. Do we do them more harm than good by reminding them? And why are soldiers and their families who have carried out their patriotic duty, then be expected to depend on public donations and the excellent work of charities like the British Legion? It is so easy to get carried away on some 'patriotic' wave of 'supporting our heroes' and forget the real horrors of war for not just our own soldiers but their families and the innocent who get caught up in such terrible conflicts. Who can forget the image of 9 year old Vietnamese Kim Phuc fleeing from an attack of napalm by the Americans? When are we going to learn that such violence causes so much suffering on both sides of a conflict? I for one was very pleased that quite recently the UK parliament voted not to get involved in the war in Syria and, although I don't often agree with his politics, I take my hat off to David Cameron for accepting the decision and not trying to convince MPs to change their vote, even though he may have been criticised on the world stage.
Nations and frontiers are man-made. God made earth as one. So this weekend as we remember, let's think of the bigger picture of all who have suffered. We need seriously to search for ways to stop war by peaceful means or the sacrifice of those who have given their all will be for nothing - such a waste of life potential. What is the point of remembering if we learn nothing from the past? Remember not just for the sake of remembering and because it seems like the patriotic thing to do, but in order to learn lessons to build a better future. The words of John Lennon come to mind, 'Imagine all the people living life in peace.' Like Martin Luther King Jnr. - I have a dream!
Talk about being adaptable! My son has recently started a job which began with working a few hours a week - not enough to sign off from receiving Job Seekers' Allowance. You need to work for over 16 hours a week to do that. He enjoys the job and has been wanting to increase his hours. His manager has also been doing his best to find him more hours as he wants to keep him in the job and not lose him if he finds something else with more hours. Last weekend he started work at 4 am. On Monday he was asked to go in for 5 am but on Saturday was asked to change that to 11 am. One day he had to be there for 1 pm and another for 10 am. This weekend his starting time is 10 am til late. At the moment he is covering for others who are on holiday or off sick. Hopefully it won't be too long before his working week will be sorted and take on a more settled routine so we will not be wondering what each day will bring. So this week our sleeping and mealtime habits have certainly NOT been habitual.
Looking in the garden this week, especially after the big storm we had the other night, it is apparent that things are really changing. For one thing part of our fence blew down! That is going to be repaired soon (I hope). What has changed and I can't do anything about is the lack of leaves now on the trees. Autumn is a time when nature adapts ready for the winter. Some things need to go in order to conserve energy for what is to come. Trees shed their leaves and plants seem to die but all the time they are building up their reserves ready to burst out again in the Spring.
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| A bearded tit |
This week we have also been able to watch Autumnwatch - a favourite programme in our house. Their theme has been migration and has followed many birds as they prepare to move further south for the winter, some having already gone. Young birds, born only this Spring are flying, some non-stop, for thousands of miles. After having spent most of their lives to date in the nest, life is really changing for them. They also tagged and followed a number of foxes. Some of their habitats have been taken over by humans and so they are having to adapt to urban living. Other birds like the bearded tit have to adapt their eating habits as their diet changes from insects and worms to seeds and berries. They eat small pieces of grit to help in this.
It is the very nature of creation to change and adapt according to the circumstances. My life now is not the same as my life was 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago. But God is still relevant to my situation, now. Life happens! Life makes us make changes - this is how God has ordained things. We need to adapt to changes in our lives to cope with new technology and ways of doing things. It just seems a shame that people don't follow the natural laws of creation into their spiritual lives. I remember when quite young and asking why things in our denomination were done in a certain way and the answer was 'We've always done it that way!' Maybe that's a good reason to change! When a movement fails to adapt and change then it is no longer moving. It has becomes an institution. People who don't profess any religion, often get the impression that God is not relevant to 21st century living. And sadly the Church as a whole has contributed in giving this impression. Some Christian groups are proactive in changing but others are not. Some fear that change will mean a watered down gospel or that their particular group will cease to exist and so they don't want to change. This is unnatural in God's creation and in our daily lives. Creation adapts in order to survive. Nature shows us that adapting and changing may mean no longer doing things we used to do but it does mean doing things effectively for what is to be in the future. It may seem to be a sort of dying as we let go of the old but it is a doorway to something new and better. If God is relevant today then we need to express Him in 21st century ways and not keep Him enclosed in an old, out-of-date box.
Apart from the shopping for food and presents there are of course other preparations. The Christmas tree and decorations are down from the loft, thanks to my son, and are ready for tomorrow the 1st of December. The usual ornaments have been put away to make room for the Christmas ones. Christmas cards and newsletter have been written and ready to post. Some for abroad were posted earlier this week. And of course there is the list of people I send cards to each year so I don't forget anyone. Some meals I like to prepare from fresh ingredients and freeze ahead of time ready just to take out and defrost when needed so the freezer is gradually being stocked up. I am also pleased that I live in the northern hemisphere where there is less to do in the garden at this time of year so I can set my attention to other things while still enjoying the blooms on my Christmas Cactus. It seems that even the house plants are preparing for Christmas. People who are involved in a play or pantomime, carol service or concert have already been preparing and practicing for some weeks even months ready for the big day when they do it for the public. 
Of course Christmas is not just about eating, a day off work and receiving presents. That happens to be the way that we like to celebrate a special occasion. Christians prepare for Christmas throughout the time of Advent. The original Advent Calendar where we open the window each day to reveal an aspect of the Christmas story, was a good reminder of the other face of Christmas - the reason behind the celebration. Nowadays a very popular Advent Calendar is the one where each day on opening the window you get some chocolate goodie. Now I like the idea of having a little bit of chocolate each day but I have decided this year to make my own sort of Advent Calendar. As I was reminded this week that our American friends celebrated Thanksgiving, I decided to make my own Advent Calendar of Thanksgiving. It's a list really where each day I think of something for which I am particularly thankful. 
