Expectations

I wonder how many children yesterday received gifts that were on their wish list to Santa.  I suspect that most of them did.  I can imagine the excitement when opening their presents to see which items on their lists had become reality.  And I think that maybe somewhere there may be one or two who are a little disappointed when they discover that not all on their endless list has been granted.  After all there is a limit to how much parents can spend.  But it does mostly seem to be the case that what is asked for is received, with great anticipation, excitement and joy.  I'm sure we can all remember how difficult it was to go to sleep on Christmas Eve.  We just wanted the morning to be here so we could open our gifts and see if our hopes had been realised.

Of course as we get older, we (well most of us!) don't get quite so excited and are not quite as demanding in what we want to receive.  I'm happy to say that I didn't get anything that was not according to my taste or that I would find useful in some way.  They were all things that I had hoped for so I am one very happy lady today.


In ancient times, the Jewish nation had been promised a Saviour, a Messiah.  They hoped that a great leader would come and free them from the cruel rule of the occupying forces of the Roman empire.  A number of zealots had arisen, and fallen, in the past but they were still a nation that lived under oppression.  The might of Rome was too great for them to overcome.  A Deliverer had been promised and the people waited for many, many years.  

Not quite the mighty warrior the nation had hoped for.

When God did send a Deliverer, the Saviour, it wasn't in the form of a militant person, a sword brandishing warrior who would bring about an uprising against the Romans.  It was the opposite - a baby.  God certainly works in mysterious ways.  When Jesus claimed to have been sent by God and said that God was his Father, he was shunned by many.  How could this be the promised Messiah?  That wasn't what they had hoped for at all.  All that waiting, and for what?  Most Jews were indeed disappointed at the gift that God had given them and couldn't accept Jesus as the fulfilment of God's promise of a Deliverer..

We often have a wish list for God.  Sometimes when we pray it's almost as though we have a 'shopping list' that we reel off to him and expect him to answer our requests in the way that we want.  But God being God often does something quite different.  

Lord help me to see what it is that you want to give me.  Help me not to get disappointed when things don't happen in the way that I want but help me to see that through it all you want to show me your will and purpose for my life.  Thank you for the way that you have guided me and the things that you have shown me and taught me.  Help me never to underestimate that what I don't understand just might be exactly what I need.  Grant me wisdom and eyes to see your gifts for me.  So be it.

It All Depends ...

First of all I must say for any who are not in touch through social media and so haven't seen my update, my son and his wife arrived home safely on Tuesday after spending a weekend in Paris.  With the happenings over the weekend, their time did not go as they had planned - the scheduled concert was cancelled by the authorities and most of the sight seeing attractions were closed until the Monday.  However, we are all very relieved that they are safe and well and can live to celebrate other birthdays in the future.  Now for some musings for this week.   

It's that time of year when those of us who like feeding the wild birds over the winter  start to buy various things to put out in the garden trying to attract them to come and feed.  Apart from the usual seed mixture there are the sunflower seeds, either whole or just the sunflower hearts.  For the finches they tell us to put out nyger seeds.  There are various types of fatty goods - suet pellets, fat balls and large 'cakes' of fat all mixed with seeds, insects or mealworms.  And we mustn't forget the peanuts.  All of these various goodies also need varying types of containers.  It's no good putting seeds into a wire container and fat balls needs to be in a container that the birds can peck through.  It's not that they're fussy eaters so they need a bird table menu to choose from, it's more a case of some foods suit some birds and not others.  Some are happy to cling onto feeders while others prefer to peck at the bird table.  Others, mostly the larger birds tend to just walk around pecking what is on the ground.  It would seem though that the nightly visitor to our garden will eat anything that s/he can get hold of.  Some people get urban foxes while others have problems with deer somehow breaking through their fences.  We have a nightly visit from a badger who will eat whatever s/he can get or dig holes looking for something.  He even seems to have the ability to reach up and pull down off the tree the container with the fat balls in it.  I thought I had put it high enough to be out of his reach but the fat balls and the container have disappeared - again!  Ah well, I'll have to think of another way of letting the birds get their needed fat intake.



We are starting to look at all the Christmas goodies that are appearing in the shops and I'm starting to make my lists of things to buy, food stuff that is - things that can be made at home and kept, other things that can be frozen or stored safely while there is always the list of the last things to buy that need to be fresh.  I prefer to plan ahead and not rush at the last minute.  That's just how I do things - with plenty of time and loads of lists.  The butcher has the order for the turkey which will be collected at the appropriate time.  I like to try and cater for everyone's tastes and take into account any allergies.  But I think we all tend to eat those extras that all the year round we avoid often for health reasons but somehow feel that because it's Christmas they won't have any affect on us - that is until we get on the scales after New Year - if we dare.  And don't mention the presents!  Personally I have great difficulty with so much choice, usually with inflated prices just because it's Christmas.  I always prefer gifts that are useful and not something that will just be put in a drawer and either forgotten or recycled next year for someone else.  Not everyone would agree with me and that's ok.  We're all different and do things differently.  It's just that that's the way I function.  It works for me.


This week I received an unexpected phone call from a cousin in Canada.  She normally phones sometime between Christmas and New Year.  The purpose of her call was mainly to tell me that her mother who is now almost 95 years of age had recently gone into a nursing home and so the address I currently have for her is no longer valid.  The strange thing is that she said to address it to Stefana.  She is actually an aunty of my late husband who I first knew when we lived in Argentina many years ago.  I have known her for 50+ years and have always called her Tia Nancy (Aunty Nancy) and now 50 years on I learn that her name is not Nancy at all but Stefana.  Surprised, I presumed that Nancy must be her middle name but was told that she isn't called Nancy at all.  Her name is Stefana but everyone, even all of her own family have always referred to her as Nancy and that is how she is known to most people.  I can't think of her as Stefana.  For me she will always be Tia Nancy.  I guess that's ok when it comes to Christmas greetings cards and personal letters.  If it were a legal matter then her real name has to be used.

All week I have been thinking about this and the fact that how often we live for years with a certain supposition and even when we know that the truth is different from what we are accustomed to, we carry on as before regardless.  Nothing changes.  Old habits die hard as they say.  Some things we do just out of habit even though it's not quite correct.  I have been reminded of such life lessons again with creation and life in general.  How we are all different and need different things in our lives for us to be complete and flourish.  It's not that one is right and others are wrong, we are just different and have varying needs. It all depends on our unique make up and circumstances.  The same goes for our personal taste in food and in life choices in general.  Some times though we need to recognise that some of the things we do and say are not strictly correct and that often we do and say them purely out of habit and a false sense of what is right.  Even the ordinary occurrences of life have much to teach us. But that all depends on if we listen.

Whose Christmas Is It Anyway?

Spend, spend, spend.  It seems that at this time of the year that's all we seem to be doing.  We start with the buying of gifts for family and friends and then we stock up on food as though we are catering for the five thousand (slight exaggeration!)  But we do tend to over-cater for the Christmas holiday time - just in case.  And we buy stuff that we wouldn't normally eat but feel almost obliged to indulge in all those sweet delights and 'extras' just because 'it's Christmas'. Then no sooner is the actual day over, some then go on to spend more trying to get some bargain in the after-Christmas sales.  It is understandable therefore that some would say that Christmas belongs to the commercial sector and that they are the ones who gain most.  Not everyone thinks like the Grinch when he ponders, 'Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas ... perhaps ... means a little bit more.'


I can't help thinking that most people, if asked to name someone associated with Christmas, would say without thinking 'Santa Claus' rather than Jesus or any of the people from the original nativity scene.  Everywhere you go, there are pictures of the man with the red and white fur-trimmed clothes and the big white beard who always seems to be smiling.  'Tis the season to be jolly, Ho Ho Ho and all that.  Cards, books, television programmes are all about Santa Claus.  So some might think that Christmas belongs to Santa Claus.


On the other hand I have heard Christians say that the Christmas season belongs to Christians.  This was made quite plain to some friends who decided to go to a carol service at the local church before Christmas.  The church was full when they arrived there.  They looked around and saw a few seats at the back of the building and were hoping to sit down when they were told that those seats were reserved for church members who were doing stewarding duties and who would be taking their seats shortly.  The friends sadly left the building feeling a bit that maybe fully paid up members of the club/church group had priority when it came to seating and after all they were 'outsiders'.  Having said that, I know of other Christians who spent some of their Christmas Day serving up a hot meal for those who would have otherwise been on their own this Christmas.  So Christmas as some believe, belongs to the Christians.  

We notice many Christians urging us not to take Christ out of Christmas.  I totally agree!  But what exactly do we mean by this?  It's easy to keep Christ in the written word Christmas, but it's the actions that really matter.  The first Christmas which is the one that as Christians we celebrate at this time of year, was not a great gathering of religious people.  It wasn't some carefully organised celebration.  It was an act of God totally emptying himself of love for all of humanity.  It was a sign of hope for those who were downtrodden, justice for those who were treated unfairly and a future for those who lived in fear of what tomorrow might bring.  As in the words of the song, written and sung by mainly non-church-goers; Feed the world, let them know it's Christmas time.  It is not about celebrating one day; it is a way of living; it's the daily echo of God's self-emptying love lived out in our own lives.  Who does Christmas belong to?  Actually, from God's point of view, it belongs to everyone.  Joy to the world.  Peace on earth, goodwill to all people.  To really 'own' Christmas, we have to live it not just one day of the year but every day and show God's love to all, whoever they are, whatever they believe and whatever are their circumstances.  Emmanuel - God with us - God's love for all of his creation expressed in human form.  That's the real Christmas message.  

Happy Christmas

2014

Dear family and friends

Home grown strawberries

After the storms of last winter, we had a very wet spring but a glorious summer before the autumn colours began showing.  It seems that because of the wet spring, we had quite a harvest of berries in the garden – strawberries, raspberries and blackberries.  It is a good feeling to eat things that we have grown fresh from the garden.

Ayers Rock

In August, Diego and I had a very pleasant few days break in the Isle of Wight.  Martin and his partner Lisa, meanwhile had a 3 month break travelling in a campervan in Australia.  When they arrived back we were able to share in watching so many lovely photos.  They left their jobs (in IT and managing a Charity Drop-in centre respectively) in order to do the trip and Martin is now back in the same office in Cheshire but opted to work only 3 days a week so that he can also  spend some time volunteering for a charity.  Diego had a part time job but then found himself out of work for a short while and is now employed again in a warehouse.  We are all keeping well (as long as I keep taking the tablets!). 

Shanklin Old Town Isle of Wight

Martin and Lisa will be joining us for a few days before Christmas and we will be celebrating by eating both Argentinian (empanadas, milanesas de pollo a la Napolitana and alfajores) and the traditional English roast turkey – not all at the same time!  Christmas Day will be spent quietly just Diego and I together chilling out and enjoying a relaxing time.

We wish you all a very Happy Christmas

and a Blessed New Year

Mavis and family

Feliz Navidad

2014

Queridos familia y amig@s

Frutillas de nuestro jardín

Después de las tormentas del invierno pasado tuvimos una  primavera muy lluviosa pero un verano  glorioso antes de que empezaron a aparecer los colores hermosos del otoño.  Parece que por la primavera tan mojada tuvimos una buena cosecha de frambuesas, zarzas y frutillas en el jardín.  Le da a uno una buena sensación al poder comer cosas frescas que nosotors mismos hemos cultivado en nuestro jardín. 

Martin y Lisa en Australia

En agosto, Diego y yo pasamos unos días muy lindos en la Isla de Wight (a la costa sur de Inglaterra).  Martin y su amiga Lisa mientras tanto pasaron 3 meses viajando por Australia.  Al llegar de vuelta pudimos disfrutar mirar a tantas fotos tan hermosas.  Dejaron sus trabajos para poder ir de viaje y Martin ahora está de vuelta en la misma oficina en Cheshire pero eligió trabar solamente 3 días por semana porque quería tener tiempo para ayudar voluntariamente a una sociedad benéfica..  Diego tuvo un trabajo de 3 días por semana pero se encontró por un tiempito sin trabajo pero ahora está trabajando en un almacén.  Estamos todos con buena salud (¡con tal que yo siga tomando los remedios!)

Pueblo antiguo de Shanklin, Isla de Wight

Martin y Lisa estarán con nosotros por unos días antes de Navidad y estaremos celebrando por comer comida Argentina (empanadas, milanesas de pollo a la Napolitana y alfajores) y también la comida tradicional inglesa de pavo al horno - ¡pero no todos al mismo tiempo!  El día de Navidad Diego y yo lo pasaremos tranquilos juntos los dos y disfrutaremos un tiempo de descanso.

Deseamos que tengan una Navidad muy 

Feliz y un Año Nuevo lleno de Bendición.

Mavis y familia

Not Here

Everything but the one I want!

Have you ever needed to buy a particular item, known exactly where to get it but when you get there, they haven't got the specific item you're looking for?  That happened to me this week.  One of the spotlights in the kitchen had gone off.  No problem, I thought.  I always keep spare light bulbs in a cupboard.  I had just about every type of light bulb except the one I wanted.  Typical!  Still not a great problem.  I knew exactly where to go to get one.  When I got there I looked along all the shelves of light bulbs.  The one I wanted was nowhere to be seen.  So I had to traipse the town looking for shops where I could buy a light bulb for the kitchen.  I eventually did get one but after quite a search.  I wasn't very amused.  I had better things to do with my time.

Searching for the baby in the palace.

But the searching did remind me of this time of year and when the Wise Men went in search of the new baby king they knew had been born.  They went straight to the obvious place.  A future king would be in a palace, right?  Wrong!  They left the palace and had to continue their search until they found Jesus in the most unlikely place for someone of his greatness.  The whole experience was nothing like they expected.



From birth to death (and beyond) God on earth was nothing like people had expected or were looking for.  He spent so many years working just like any other man, earning a living and caring for his mother and family.  During his years of ministry he was known more for his 'unsavoury' friends that his religious ones.  He refused to show his power as God in human flesh in order to convince people of his message.  After his death he was not in the tomb where his followers had expected to find his dead body.  Even after being disowned by his followers and killed, he was then seen cooking them supper by the lakeside.  He was not where people expected him to be.

It begs the question - where are we looking to find him?  He possibly and, dare I say, following on from the way he lived on earth, probably won't be in what we think is the most obvious place.  He'll probably turn up where and when we least expect.  Be prepared to be surprised by his presence in the most unlikely of situations.  

Living In Hope

It's amazing how in town suddenly a number of shops have opened up selling just things to do with the Christmas season.  Everywhere you turn someone is trying to sell you wrapping paper, novelties or cards.  One such shop had its name painted in bold letters - All You Want For Christmas.  Ah!  That sounds good!  I went in to browse and see what they had that I might want.  What I would really like is a nice big fat cheque made out to my name but I couldn't see one anywhere!  But the idea of getting what you want set me thinking.  Hopes, wants, expectations. 


Advent is a time of looking forward with hope.  Children are encouraged to write a letter to Santa Claus saying what toys and games they would like to receive.  Some write long letters with long lists of things they want. Others are not so fortunate.  A few days ago I shared a post on Facebook about a young 10 year old boy called Santiago who lives in a part of Bahia Blanca in Argentina.  He was given a sort of wooden chopping board by his parents for his birthday and his reaction was a big smile and 'thank you' and he said that he looked forward to using it to cut up food.  It is the custom to use a wooden board to serve up and use at a barbecue instead of the usual plate so now he had his very own.  He was then handed another gift that his very poor parents had managed to save up for.  His reaction is priceless as he opened it to discover not a wooden tablet but a tablet that he had really hoped for but knowing how poor they were never expected in his wildest dreams that he would ever receive.  You can watch the video here but be sure to have your tissues at hand.


In our home for many years we have made wish lists.  Maybe it's because of working in shanty towns and seeing how little some people have to live on but to us at least it's preferable to give/receive something that is actually wanted and hoped for rather than something that will be put in a drawer and never used or recycled.  We do put enough items on the lists so there is a choice and we still don't know what we will actually receive so the surprise element is still there.  But it seems to me that so many of the lists to Santa are written with more than just hope.  Things are not just hoped for but actually expected to the point that parents have been known to search all over and pay anything in order to get the required gift.  Is this the real hope that is enshrined in Christmas?  Is this the advent message that we are giving our children?   Businesses are hoping for more profit this year than last year.  It seems that hope for the world has become a matter of wealth and ownership of material things that tomorrow are discarded.  As the Queen song says 'I want it all and I want it now.'


God came to humanity on that first Christmas, not as a big Santa Claus laden with toys and gifts, but as a baby to bring real hope to the world and a way to live, sharing love with all.  Enjoy the gifts but remember why we give presents to those we love. Beyond the material gifts, what is our hope this Christmas?  What are my hopes for myself and my family?  Success at work, health, wealth, more things or something money can't buy?  Of course we need things - that's essential in 21st century Britain but we are really rich in a deeper sense if our hope is in something or someone beyond material wealth.    

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere I go.  Shops have had their festive decorations up for quite some time.  Every time you go into town you can see people carrying boxes, wrapping paper and all things to do with the Christmas season.  As far as I am concerned, the cards have been bought and written - well most of them anyway.  Some need to be posted early to go abroad, others to different parts of the UK and others I can deliver by hand locally.  Presents are either bought or ordered.  Some are already wrapped but still quite a lot to do.  Tomorrow (Sunday) is the first Sunday of Advent.  The last day of November is when I usually sort out the tree and decorations ready to be in place for the 1st of December.  So I guess you could say 'it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas'.  Or is it?  At least it's like what we in the west have made it become.

It's actually nothing like the very first Christmas.  How different!  There was no tinsel or decorations, no turkey dinner with family, no relaxing and being entertained.  The King of Kings was not surrounded by servants or lived in a palace with all the comforts of the hierarchical, rich lifestyle of those in authority.  Paul in his letter to the Philippians describes it as God emptying himself into the physical, human presence of his son.  This emptying was expressed by being born illegitimately to a young teenager in a place that was kept for the animals.  No family or friends to visit and celebrate.  Instead he was visited by lowly workers doing the night shift and foreigners who probably didn't even speak the same language as Mary and Joesph.  The subsequent years of his infancy were spent as a refugee, an asylum seeker, an immigrant in a foreign land.  He knew from experience what it was like to be hungry and a stranger and to be fed and accepted and taken in.  He had lived life in the lowly margins of society.  He emptied himself until there was no more to give.  

Having said all that, I do love Christmas and I love to celebrate as we do now with decorations, great food and exchanging of presents with loved ones.  And I don't suggest for one minute that we should stop doing that.  Be happy, enjoy time with family and friends, taste the good food, relax and enjoy the break but spare a thought for those who maybe have to work over the holidays.  Be thankful for what we have but remember that there are some who don't have a place to stay or family to share Christmas dinner with.  Some people now, instead of sending and posting Christmas cards, are giving the money they would have spent on that to a charity in order to help feed the hungry or give a bed to the homeless.  I must admit that I haven't done that, (I like the idea of greeting friends with a card) but I admire those who do. 

An activity that many engage in over the months leading up to Christmas is the filling of a shoebox with goodies to send to a child in some far away place.  This week I read of a young Filipino girl who 14 years ago received a shoebox at Christmas sent from a young boy in America through the very well known Operation Christmas Child scheme.  She was so grateful for that gift that she later tried to contact the boy to thank him.  She was unsuccessful but later in life, she was able through the social media to make contact with him .  Their friendship grew until recently they got married and for wedding presents they requested that people donate shoeboxes for the charity to continue the work that had brought them together.  You can read the full story here.

I guess that to make it really look like Christmas, we should enjoy the festivities but also give something of ourselves, empty out a little of the much that we have in order to help others, a kind of antidote to the madness of Black Friday.  That is the real message of Christmas and what God meant Christmas to look like.  'Insomuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.'  Emmanuel - God emptying himself into every walk of life for all people everywhere.  That really is something to celebrate!


   

Enough is enough

Well, Christmas has been and gone.  We had a great time as a family, as I hope all who read this did.  Many have now put away the decorations (although some do wait until the end of the 12 days of Christmas, until Epiphany on January 6th - when the wise men arrived at the stable) Every year I try to be sensible in my spending, especially on food.  As far as presents are concerned we as a family have always stipulated a maximum to spend on each other.  We make wish lists to choose from.  That way we know we won't get everything on our list but neither do we know what we will get and so we always have surprises.  We have always done this even when the children were small.  My eldest commented that he really didn't need anything so he would be quite happy if instead of buying him anything, we gave the money to charity.  (And he is the one that never went to church!)  We did buy him things but I thought it was a nice gesture to say that - and they weren't empty words, he really meant it
.
What is not so easy to control is the over-indulgence on food.  We make excuses like 'well it is Christmas', 'it's a special occasion' or 'Christmas comes but once a year'.  We can always justify our overspend.  We buy just in case it's needed, we don't want to run out of anything.  I am pretty good at using up left-overs but have to admit that I did throw some things away that had gone past their use by date - and I felt guilty!  I really don't like throwing out food.  But really, do we honestly need all that chocolate and sweet treats?  Do we really have to stuff ourselves to bursting point?  This week. according to the BBC news, in the UK 64% of adults are classed as being overweight or obese while at the same time under-nourishment is still a problem for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, particularly children. 

Although I have to say that I didn't get anything that will be pushed in a drawer and forgotten about, I do wonder after all the spending, just how much of the gifts people received will be used and how much will be discarded after a short time.  Our attention seems to flit so quickly from one thing to another without real appreciation for what we have.  There is always something else, the latest gadget, the new in-thing, the latest fashion, the bigger version, that must-have item.  The sad thing is that the more we get, the more we want.  We seem to have an insatiable appetite for stuff, useful or not.  We are draining the world of its resources in the process of acquiring more stuff we don't really need while at the same time making the rich owners of large companies richer by our self indulgence.  Some charitable gifts are known as 'alternative must-have gifts' and provide some of the things that are essential to a needy world.  We still sing and listen to the Live Aid song at Christmas time but how easily we forget to contribute to help the ever growing needy of the world.  A growing number of people have stopped buying and sending Christmas cards, opting instead to give the money they have saved to some charity or buying things for a food bank.

Sorry if this blog post seems all doom and gloom.  The truth is that much of our possessions don't achieve real deep down happiness.  Many people have lost much during these winter storms that we have had recently.  Some have even lost their homes over the side of crumbling cliffs.  It's times like this that make you think again of your priorities.  How much is really sufficient?  When is enough, enough?  I haven't made any New Year's resolutions but I have many things to ponder.  We will still have a good time and have more than we really need but maybe next year I'll celebrate differently. 

Activity, rest and waiting.

The week began with activity.  Last week my elder son Martin spent a few days with us as work didn't permit him to spend actual Christmas with us.  He was off work on Christmas Day but to travel down to Somerset from Cheshire late on Christmas Eve and then travel back Christmas Day night to be at work on Boxing Day just didn't seem worth it.  It was better to get a few days off the week before and spend some time with us.  We went to the cinema to see the new Hobbit film and then went for a pizza - a very enjoyable afternoon and evening out.  So we did a sort of Christmas a week early, having turkey with all the trimmings etc. and we opened a couple of presents, leaving the rest for the actual event itself.  Last Saturday afternoon he went back to his own place in Cheshire and my other son Diego went off to work.  The house seemed quiet after that.  Until Monday that is!  Then the storm hit!  On the Tuesday morning in the light of day we surveyed the results -  there was a drip coming through the ceiling in the front bedroom, a tile off the roof at the back of the house and the fence blown down (for the umpteenth time this year!)

The broken tile off the roof

Sunday was indeed the lull before the storm, literally.  So activity began again.  Phone calls were made to those with whom we have emergency cover and they were very helpful.  The problem, of course was that this was now Christmas Eve when everyone wants to be at home not out on emergencies.   Absolutely, I quite understood. We were assured that it might take a couple of days but they hadn't forgotten about us.  On Boxing Day we received a phone call to say that someone would be around to assess the damage the following day.  That night another storm hit, but not as strong as the first one, thank goodness.  We are now bracing ourselves for the next storm due on Monday.  But at least, whatever happens, the 'rescue plans' are in motion. 

Trying to prop up the fence again til it is replaced

So Christmas Day was a calm day and again on Thursday as on both occasions we waited for the phone calls ... ... and waited ... ...  and waited ... ... or so it seemed.  I watched the news and was grateful that our damage was so little in comparison to many who had had no electricity since Monday, could not celebrate Christmas, were not able to have the traditional Christmas meal and in some cases had to evacuate the house because of flooding.  I felt quite guilty - I had no reason to moan.  Someone has already been contracted to put up a new fence in the back garden.  We made the agreement way back at the beginning of December but he is unable to do anything before the middle of January but at least that problem is in hand.  The man came and assessed the damage of the roof as arranged and that will go through to the insurers who will then arrange for it to be done - quickly I was assured.  Ah! but it's the waiting when things aren't the way we want them to be that gets me.  It's frustrating.  I want things sorted.  It's like life is on hold.  But this week is just like life. 

There are days of planned activity that we look forward to and enjoy.  There are also days of quiet.  But it's the days of unexpected activity that bring problems and the seemingly unending waiting for things to be resolved.  In the mean time we seem to just plod on but it's not what we really wanted and it's kind of unsettling when life seems to have lost its flow.  How often do we find ourselves in the waiting room of life unable to move forward?  Life is not always the planned activity and days of rest.  So what will 2014 bring?  I wonder.  Maybe some plans will become reality but there will possibly be some waiting time while God sorts things out on our behalf.  Whatever 2014 brings, I hope it is good for you.

Christmas - Through the Eyes of the Three Wise Men

The three wise men is the part of the Christmas story that has always fascinated me.  Christians on the whole steer well clear of anything vaguely linked to the stars, horoscopes and their effect on people's lives.  Yet here we have three astronomers (not to be confused with astrologers who give us horoscopes).  They had studied the stars and believed that the position and relation of the stars and planets did indeed have some bearing on life on earth.  When they saw the particular configuration in the sky and saw the brightness it caused, they interpreted that as being the birth of a very important person, a king, who would have an enormous part to play for humanity.  They got together, packed up some belongings and set off on their journey to search for this special person, using the stars to guide them.  They may not have understood or studied the Jewish scriptures as they were from a completely different culture but they followed their beliefs to search for truth.

The obvious place it seemed would be to go to those in authority, the rulers of the place where they believed this new king had been born.  They were surprised to discover from Herod that the person they sought was not there but that didn't deter them.  Herod meanwhile consulted his own wise men who had studied the scriptures and was told of the Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem.  He told the travellers this and sent them on their way urging them to go back to him and tell him where the child was.  They kept on going, following the star and their convictions until they at last came to the stable in Bethlehem.  They understood the significance about this young child and so brought gifts to reflect their beliefs that he was king (gold), deity (frankincense) and sacrifice (myrrh).  God then told them in a dream to go back home by a different route and so avoid Herod who was just interested in eliminating any opposition to his rule or power.

What has always intrigued me is that although there were many among the Jews who studied the scriptures, none of them seemed aware of the importance of the birth of Jesus.  They totally missed the great event.  'He came unto his own and his own received him not'.  Yet here were people from a completely different culture who understood and God guided them and spoke to them through their own particular way of understanding life and through dreams.  They may not have known or understood all about Jewish history and their chosen status or their words of scripture but they did know how to read the signs of creation that was all around them.  It is good to remind ourselves that God doesn't just use his prophets and those who study his word but he does also quite clearly speak to those outside of his chosen people.  The wise men also learned that God, although so powerful does not always inhabit the grand places but encapsulated the emptying of himself and shows his loving humility in a tiny, helpless child.  Like the shepherds, (see last week's blog post) they learned that God does the unexpected.  We need to learn that we cannot tie God down to our expectations of Him or our way of thinking and understanding.  God will not be limited by our finite minds.

And so again I am reminded in the Christmas story that God is not just seen through the written word.  I need to read the signs, the things that are happening all around me.  God has ways of revealing his truth without all the study and religious observance or allegiance and we are seeing in our own day signs of God working for change in the world through people other than Christian - think of young Malala speaking out to allow education for girls.  We Christians don't have the monopoly of or exclusive access to truth nor are we the only ones through whom God chooses to work.  God uses whom He chooses.  I need to expect the unexpected.  I may need to change my views on things and learn to accept that which until now has been unacceptable to me - a renewing of my mind that God can and does work outside of my limited world of understanding.   

Christmas - Through the Eyes of the Shepherds

Here was this group of blokes just doing what they always did.  They were the tough, outdoor type who were able to fight off wild animals that threatened their flock of sheep.  They were used to spending long hours outside in all types of weather.  They would possibly be passing the night time hours exchanging anecdotes and a few jokes, like men throughout the ages have done.  They would always be alert to any danger that might creep up on them to cause havoc among the sheep with the intention of providing a meal for some hungry wild animal.  But suddenly... ...!  I can almost hear them mutter 'What the ... ...?'  (or their Jewish equivalent) as they searched the bright light for some explanation but not sure what was going on.  

I'm sure that they didn't expect that while they were just carrying out their nightly responsibilities that God would suddenly burst in on them in that way.  To say that they were taken aback is an understatement.  But then God often does that sort of thing - surprise us when we're least expecting it.  We tend to expect God to turn up in places that are deemed to be 'holy'; at special gatherings; in big meetings; when there is the 'right kind' of worship music and groaning prayers.  Angelic visitations appear when we're in the right mood and frame of mind don't they? ... ... not at work!   

The angels gave them directions to go and find the child that had just been born.  They explained the importance of this child - the long awaited Messiah.  Who would have thought that such an important message would have been revealed to a few simple shepherds?  They were probably not very well educated and maybe didn't manage to get to the synagogue very often because of their work.  They had been raised in the Jewish faith and knew about God and their history and being the 'chosen race' but were probably not very active in their expression of their faith.  They didn't question the angels.  They went and found the baby exactly as they had been told.    They weren't all dressed up in their Sabbath best.  They were in work clothes suitable for working with animals outdoors.  They went as they were and found him in the stable with the animals, a messy, dirty, smelly place, away from where people would normally live and sleep.

They saw God in a new way, identifying Himself with them.  He didn't expect certain conditions, education or understanding of Scripture.  He came to them where they were, as they were, out there.  His incarnation was for everyone - all included, not just the religious.  And they worshipped Him, right there, in the middle of their nightly work, as they were, with no great preparation or understanding.  That is Emmanuel - God with us (all) here, now.

Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child

During this advent season I am thinking of how different people view the whole nativity story.  The first one is through the eyes of a child. 

I have to admit that I am a great aunty to the most lovable 3 year old.  The other Saturday I had the privilege of accompanying him and his father, my nephew Darren and grandma Marilyn, my sister.  We went to see the Christmas decorations at the local garden centre Brimsmore.  We walked into the store and immediately young Oliver's eyes were taken by all the lights and sparkly things.  He just stood and said 'WOW!'  All the way around he kept uttering the word 'wow'.  He loved the animals that moved and all the decorations and of course the toy train layout featuring Ivor the Engine and his friends.  All the magic of the moment seemed to explode into his mind and only one word could sum it all up - wow! 

For a young child of 3, everything catches the eye, almost to the point of being overwhelming.  He loves looking at everything and touching if he is allowed to.  His little mind is in overdrive as he tries to assess all that is around him and the limited vocabulary of a toddler is not adequate to put into words what he is thinking and the emotions that it all conjures up.  And so  'wow' is all he can come out with.  We often hear Christmas being referred to as a time for children, maybe because of their sense of wonder at it all.  As we get older we lose some of that sense of wonder.  How often do we hear an adult refer to Christmas as 'wow'?  Probably never.  Sadly in maturing and growing up we all lose some of that childlike sense of wonder and awe.  It's like we've heard it and seen it all before.  We become blasé about it and so think of Christmas as a time for the children who see everything as new and fresh.

Jesus says that we should be like children before God.  To think of God being willing to limit himself in human form and come as a helpless baby dependant on his parents for everything - this God who created all things from nothing and yet laying aside all such power that when he speaks universes come into being, and becoming totally dependent instead of the Almighty, limited to one place instead of being everywhere - how can we not be filled with amazement and wonder.  This servant king evokes such emotions that we cannot find the words to express and in worship we just stand and say 'Wow'.  I want to drink in again the wonder of it all as a child.  WOW, God loves me that much!

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Preparations

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.