Rules for Christmas, Part 2

   Welcome to the next installment of Rules for Christmas. See my last post for the first five.  If this is your first visit, I'm giving credit to Sean McEvoy for the original idea. I'm re-writing some of his points with personal examples or ways I've done the same thing. I hope this becomes a way for you to experience the real reason for the season, and I hope it helps to enhance your celebration of the birth of Jesus into our world.

   6. Leaving Work after dark is not fun, but coming home after dark is.  We weren't big on putting lights on the house when I was a kid. My mother was into Williamsburg  decor, and so we did flood lights on the house to show the wreaths and window decor. But when we had children, they wanted lights, it's a joy to see them driving up to the house and seeing other houses lit up as well. One of our family things now is to go out and see the best lit houses, that friends and neighbors have recommended. Or to go to a lighted garden or park together. My grandson loves the lights.

   7. A Christmas Carol is the reset button I press to remember who I want to be as a Christian.  I'm not afraid of the doom Scrooge faced if he stayed a miser, or because I think I'm good enough to earn my way, which I am not, but because there is no better depiction of what it looks like to replace greed/self with giving/others. I had a lot of fun preparing to do Ebenezer in costume for Christmas Eve, last year, to tell the story of transformation and to invite others to take hold of the Christmas spirit all year.

   8. Make your Christmas movie or movies your Mount Rushmore. My favorites include most versions of the Christmas Carol, male or female lead versions. The Road to Christmas, Santa Claus, A Christmas Card, A Christmas Visitor, Christmas Shepherd, (New on Hallmark Channel this year). My wife loves Family Man for many reasons. Watching movies is family time and a special way to get into the season. I love watching them after Christmas too.

   9. The older I get, the less I want. I have a really hard time giving people ideas. I love shopping for others, wrapping the presents, watching them open them, but I don't need too much. I enjoy surprises, but I usually manage to get what I want when it's on a really good sale, or through my Amazon account and clothes when I actually need them. So you might want to funnel your buying to support the charity or ministry of your choice. It will really make a difference in those places, and that's what Christmas is all about.

   10. Christmas is family time. It should be a priority. If there is some dysfunction, try to get it out and over with and offer forgiveness.  Healing is a marvelous thing, and part of the real reason for the season is healing our relationship to God, which often pours out to our relationship to others. Get help, talk it out, but not in the parking lot before Christmas Eve services. See if you can get past the elephant in the room so the rest of the time can be healthier.

   I have several more, but I'll share them later, there are a few more days until Christmas, after all. I want to encourage you to get the most out of the meaning of Christmas and to experience the depth and love that is available  from God for us. Enjoy.

   Blessings on your preparations and your festivities.

Pastor Jeff

Rules for a Good Christmas

   Hello Travelers. I've found a great article at Crosswalk.com that got me thinking. I'm borrowing some of Sean McEvoy's rules and modifying them to fit us. Credit goes, where credit is due.

   Rules for a Good Christmas

1. If you don't like something about Americanized Christmas, like it anyway... your way. You might consider this like the Keeping the Grinch away. I got really motivated when I heard the "Thanks-getting" commercial. It's not about getting but about giving, from God's giving us forgiveness and a fresh start in the birth of the Savior, to our sharing God's love with others. I enjoy the Hallmark Christmas movies, I enjoy shopping and buying for others, I love wrapping presents, the anticipation of "wait till they see this", moments. I love Christmas craft shows, Christmas concerts, and the people who come to church because they feel drawn or called or out of some sense of remembering. I love driving my grandson around the neighborhood to find beautiful lights. Make something about the season special for you and enjoy it. Control the parts you don't, as best you can.

2. Go easy on the snacks. I always have a problem with this, because there are so many good cookies out there, and people share them. I'll try on this one, wish me luck, and good luck to you too. We have a tendency to party and eat this time of year, try some self restraint, or make it a goal to step away from the table, before it gets to you.

3. Every year is someone's last Christmas. So go all out. Rent the cabin in the mountains. Make up with that long-lost friend. Pray with that parent who may not have as many years left as you think. I'm always remembering that my Mom was killed in a car accident and had done some of her Christmas shopping in the summer. We found gifts from her for Christmas after she was gone. That was tough. I've been divorced too, and Christmases after that are never the same either. Pay attention, keep your focus on the moment, enjoy special times, you just never know what might change by next year.

4. Santa rocks. And Santa stinks. You might feel either way, and that's okay. You may be keeping that child like spirit and enjoy wonder and mystery and that's good. You may think it stinks because Madison Ave. and commercialism have so blown it out of proportion. And he shows up way too early in the malls. But you can reflect on St. Nicholas of Myra, ancient Turkey. A real person, pastor, and eventually bishop, who was respected and honored for his secret giving in the spirit of Jesus who said we should not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing, is such giving opportunities. St. Nicholas is being rediscovered and there are some good books, especially for children, that you might want to explore. I read one of them to the children in church Sunday, to encourage a way to keep Christ in Christmas and enjoy the origin of nighttime secret giving, for real. A lot of Santa is really God like, whether we like it our not. He knows if we've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake. And then take the mercy and grace and forgiveness God offers, for when you've been bad.

5. One present at a time.  This should be a strict rule, as hard as it is. If you can't watch someone else opening his or her gift with nearly as much anticipation as you have opening your own, you need a cheer adjustment. Besides it makes Christmas last a lot longer. Our family has always had this rule, even when the kids were little, even when I was little. Youngest to oldest one at a time, and go around the circle a couple of times. Rejoice with those who rejoice, St. Paul would admonish us.

   I have a few more, I'll write them up later, this should get you started and maybe find a new Christmas experience or purpose or blessing in the midst of them.

   Speaking of new traditions. We are having a Traveler's Christmas Eve Candlelight service on Dec. 18 at 7:30 pm. This Traveler's Christmas Eve is for those who have to work on Christmas Eve, or who will be traveling over Christmas Eve and miss their service. At North Bethesda UMC, it will include singing favorite Christmas Carols, special music, a Bethlehem Character visit to tell the story of the first Christmas, and we end the service with singing Silent Night and lighting the candles. It's a beautiful service and one you might really like to invite neighbors to come with you for this.

   Blessings on your Journey from Bedlam to Bethlehem.

Pastor Jeff