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