Sunday 27 December 2009

Post Christms

Christmas happened. Days full of fun and laughing until our sides ached. Good food - more than enough, but not too much. Hanging out together. Sunshine, fresh breeze, sparkling waves. Many moments of amusing dog.

And the joy of reading news from friends around the world. Marriages, births, new pathways, things to give thanks for...

Jesus came: then, and now.

Don't you wish Christmas happened every day? May it be so.

Thursday 24 December 2009

Christms Eve

It's Christmas Eve. No doubt, bloggers - and others - all over the world will be reflecting on Christmas - the true meaning, the busyness, the festivities, the hype...

So here's my little morsel to add to the feast.

So it's Christmas Eve. I had to say it again to convince myself, because in many ways it doesn't feel like it. It's just a date. 24th December. Do I really feel the excitement, the anticipation of Christ coming into my life? Our lives?
Not yet. I will do, in the quiet of the midnight service, but not yet.

I still have a lot of little things to do. I am worryingly completely unstressed about them. Which means they may not get done. So I'll need to prioritise tasks and time, because if stuff doesn't get done... well, that's not what's important.

Yet some tasks are. I've sent many Christmas cards, but reconnecting with friends by email, telling them we remember and love them, IS important. That's what I should be doing by now. That's what I WILL be doing in a few minutes.

Preparing dishes for tomorrow's meal, which we will be sharing with friends, IS important. My friend Jane is doing most of the work and I am making a relatively small contribution. So, doing it is the least I can do. Just remembered: I'll need to make a trip to the shops, too. Most of my shopping I did yesterday, meeting half a dozen different friends in one store so it wasn't a chore at all, more like an ambulatory coffee morning without the coffee.

Writing a card for a recently bereaved friend. Dark times. ESSENTIAL.

Taking Christmas goodies to another dear friend. ESSENTIAL.

Spending time with my husband on his day off. IMPORTANT. I should say ESSENTIAL, but he has a whole 3 days so we will have more time than just today. Yet TODAY is important.

Decorating the Christmas cake. A family ritual involving too much icing and not enough marzipan. There is NEVER enough marzipan.

Adding more decorations to the house? Well, I've been - and still am - sick, so that doesn't need to be done. Tree and lights are up, cookies are baked, so if I do any more decorating or baking it will be a bonus, because I'll be doing it with my lovely daughter. Us time.

What else, if I have time? Well, making a few phone calls; hanging out with my two kids when they are home from work; meeting friends before we all go off to church.

What a lovely day - and now, I feel excited in the anticipation of Jesus' birthday. And his presence in my heart. How do I put a smiley face on here?

Wednesday 23 December 2009

Quiet but busy

Nothing written here for a while - busyness and illness overtook.

Consider this: I have had both ordinary flu jab (at the end of October) and the swine flu jab (at the end of November - 23rd, to be precise).

So what happens?
6th December, I get sick. Sore throat, cold, cough etc etc. Stagger in and out of school, finish term still coughing, then develop various other symptoms, 2 days in bed as of yesterday...the most ill I have been in one stretch for YEARS. Coincidence?

Anyway, I am inspired to write a note regarding the entertainment of and by Guernsey Police.

Incident 1: young friend of J and C comes to visit. Unsure of the turning off the main road, he slows down in good time so that he doesn't miss it. And is stopped by the police for 'erratic, aka too slow, driving'. Breathalysed, papers checked, the lot. Couldn't find anything wrong so they gave him an 'official warning'. Of what, he wasn't - and still isn't - sure. With the rider that 'if it happens again, it'll be a VPI for you, mate'.
'What's a VPI?' he asked.
'A pain in the arse for you,' was the reply as they drove off. Laughing.

Incident 2:
Son, returning home from church youth group Christmas dinner, followed and then stopped by police.
Police: "Sir, you are driving erratically. Have you been drinking?"
Son: "No."
Police: "That's all right then. But you are driving too fast." (The top speed limit in Guernsey is 35 mph.)
Son: "Oh no, I was speeding!"
Police: "You were doing 40mph. That is not speeding by any stretch of your imagination. No, the road is wet and slippery."
I'm not sure where the conversation went after that....

I wonder, is it boring being on police patrol?

Sunday 6 December 2009

Subversive Gospel

My friend Bob, a great Christian missionary to the nations in the US, put this on his blog:

Subversive Gospel

The essence of our message, the very person we represent and proclaim is counter to the system and values of society, of humanity as it has developed. It seeks to recruit and train a band of rebels who will fight for and even die for the principles of Jesus. This gospel is disgusted at the way things are. Where there is division and segregation and prejudice, it proclaims unity and mutual respect. Where there is injustice, abuse, cruelty, it preaches and demonstrates compassion and fairness. Where there is addiction and imprisonment, it proclaims true freedom and forgiveness. Where there is pride and power, it topples the high and mighty, empowering those with no voice. Where there is ignorance and eternal condemnation, it proclaims forgiveness of sins and eternal life. The kingdom of God quietly undermines the kingdom of this world as a counter-insurgency.

When the gospel takes root and grows up among a group of people, all of whom ascribe allegiance to their revolutionary Leader, they become an infiltrating force seeking to overthrow the bastions of evil that are well-entrenched but must be changed. Their methods are as revolutionary as their agenda. For one, they are not physically violent, unwilling to destroy property or harm life in any form. They don't take up arms, nor are their means political in nature. Legislation, maneuvering from state capitols, alliances with money and power--these are not the ways of the Jesus followers. Nor is economic clout which buys favor or brings cosmetic change that can be outdone by another surge in spending. No, the subversive gospel overturns bastions of pride with humility, of hate with love, of evil with good.

People of the gospel infiltrate family and society where they live as the Master did. In business they treat others with fairness and respect. In their homes they nurture spouses and children and parents for their good. In neighborhoods they show compassion and helpfulness. Their speech is gracious while truthful. Their pocketbooks proclaim honesty and generosity. When wronged, they forgive and even counter offense with a favor. When persecuted they bear it as a privilege. When seeing the work of evil well-disguised in society, their hearts break with compassion. They become known not for self-righteous criticism of those who differ, but for holding firmly for truth while lovingly correcting those who disagree. In this way whole cities hear of these unusual people who love each other sacrificially, who refuse to cheat or gossip, who live for another world that is yet to come, and who work now to bring in the character of that world for the blessing of all.

This is the subversive gospel that quietly topples grand towers of egotism. This is the message that confronts pride by its resilient weakness. This is the good news to thirsty souls that have grown tired of fighting for status. This is the embodiment of the Revolutionary in the people who follow Him. This is a pursuit worth commiting ones entire life to. And that is what I have done.


This was my comment:
I love this, Bob, especially the last two paragraphs. How often we fall short, but to hold fast to the values of fairness, respect, compassion and helpfulness is something to aim for and to perfect.
As for the last two sentences - that is my prayer. And that I DO commit my ENTIRE life. Without distraction.

I so wish.