Everybody's singing...

For all the holiday music coming from every radio, ipod, and store, to all the cantatas and Christmas concerts, we have to the thank the gospel writer, Luke.

In the first two chapters of Luke's gospel everyone is always singing! Mary sings. Zechariah sings. The angels sing. It's like a broadway musical!

And, what would this season be without the familiar Christmas music --- does every artist feel the need to make a Christmas album?!!? As we gather in worship we look forward to singing the favorite Christmas carols and can't understand why the pastor won't let us sing any until, if we're lucky, the Sunday before Christmas! (Moment of full disclosure: I'm one of those pastors).

Go to any grocery, department, or toy store and you'll hear the same seasonal selections. Do you have a favorite? I'm partial to "Do They Know It's Christmas Over There?" and Eartha Kitt's version of "Santa Baby."

If we're talking carols, my favorite is "O, Come All Ye Faithful" and a great singer doing "O, Holy Night" always gets me misty-eyed. And, you?

Of course, the songs are so familiar and the season so special, we non-professionals love to lift our voices in song and go caroling. I remember walking around Freeport and caroling with a group from the congregation and then returning to the church for hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. When the kids in the neighborhood went caroling to collect donations for Children's Hospital, I joined in.

Yes, I loved going caroling even though there is nothing the least bit musical about me. I like to say that I do harmony really well because harmony is any note your neighbor isn't singing and, trust me, there is no way anyone beside me, behind me, or below me is singing anything reasonably close to the notes I'm bellowing out!

Yet, still I sing. We all sing along to our Christmas albums, in worship and to the radio. Why? Because this is a season made for song and celebration and joy. Therefore, whoever you are and wherever you find yourself --- sing! Sing loudly and sing joyously! Just sing!

Subways, Shoes, and Saint Nick

Today, 6 December, is the Feast of Saint Nicholas and I swear on my "Terrible Towel" that this story is true.

I was riding the T into work and at one of the downtown stops a young couple with their two-year-old daughter boarded the train. The little girl was a blond, blue-eyed, dimple-on-the-chin cutie. At the next stop, an older gentleman, round, and short and with white hair and a white beard got on and sat in the aisle across from the little girl. Upon seeing this round, white-haired, white-bearded man the little girl locked her eyes on him intently and with a knowing stare. As I watched this unfold, and I swear this is so, the round, white-hair, white-bearded man winked ever so slightly at the little girl who smiled in return! I want to tell you I heard sleigh bells...yet, that part would not be so.

What are the odds that today, the Feast of St. Nicholas, I would witness such a moment?!?!?

Tradition holds that on the Feast of St. Nicholas children put out their shoes and St. Nick fills them with goodies. One time in the local church when December 6 was on a Sunday, we decided to surprise the kids of the church. At the start of the worship service we asked the kids to remove their shoes and take them to the back of the sanctuary. They trusted us and did so. When it came time for the "little lesson," I talked about St. Nicholas and how he actively cared for the children and especially the children in the village who were in need and were poor.

While I was waxing eloquently on the goodness of St. Nick, my elves-in-training (members of the Children's Ministry team) were in the back of the sanctuary filling each kids' shoes to overflowing with candy and gum and treats. They would have made St. Nick proud.

As the "little lesson" concluded, I told the kids that if they wanted to go and put their shoes back on they could do so or they could wait till after worship was over...their choice.

Of course, when the first kid made the decision to go and get his shoes and found them filled with candy, he loudly exclaimed, "Wow! Check it out!" Naturally, this brought every child running to the back of the sanctuary and also having similar moments of great joy come upon them. It was a huge hit!

The majority of the congregation got a kick out of it and the parents eventually forgave me.

A lesson was also learned: Frank, the awkward, shy, too-big-for-his-age kid who was often the target of the kids' teasing and whom they called "Big Foot Frank".....he was in his glory!

No doubt, St. Nick would have winked!

sj;

Windows and Wishes

I had to do a presentation at an organization downtown and used the occasion to walk from our North Side office, across the 9th Street Bridge, and into town. The presentation went fine and as the office was across the street from "Macy's" I decided to go look at the famous "Macy's Holiday Windows" as it is one of the best things about the city of Pittsburgh during the holidays.

Each holiday season, Macy's decorates some of its storefront windows that face the busy Smithfield Street. The windows are used to tell a story. This year, however, there wasn't a moving narrative but instead, each window offered various perspectives on traditions and familiar events in this festive time.

There was a window depicting people ice-skating at the outdoor rink at PPG Place; another had a scene of a couple meeting underneath the Kaufman's clock; and one of a little child watching on t.v. the film, "Miracle on 34th Street" and in the window the real movie is actually playing! Very cool!

I was completely drawn into this presentation and came very close to pressing my nose up against the glass.

However, it was the last vignette that stopped me. The window scene was divide between a child placing a letter to Santa in a mailbox and the other part of the window had three panels of changing photos and wishes. These wishes were made by real children living with very serious, threatening illnesses. Beyond their sickness, these children had even bigger wishes. "I want to swim with the dolphins." "I want to visit a Dude Ranch." "I want to go on a safari in Africa." "I want to spend a lot of time with Thomas."

'Tis the season for making lists. May it also be the season for helping to make wishes and dreams come true.

sj;

25 Days of Christmas: 2

If you spend anytime having conversation with a child, sooner or later you will be asked the question, "What's your favorite color?"

Great question. It reveals your likes. It reveals a bit about your personality; answer black or white and watch the reaction you get from the kid. If the child thinks your cool and happening, your favorite color will soon become hers or his.

Pay attention to the colors of this season. Which ones work for you?

Of course there are the reds and greens, the gold and white, and purple makes a strong appearance this time of year --- that whole royalty thing.

For me, the color of Advent is midnight blue. Maybe it's because Mary is always portrayed wearing blue, although the shade is more royal than midnight. Yet, deep, dark, midnight blue evokes calmness, coolness, crispness, mystery that draws you in.

Make note of the colors that dominate the season. Where do you notice the colors of the season? What does green symbolize for you? Is too much gold color too much? Why red? Where do you see midnight blue?

As part of paying attention this season, watch the colors and notice how you respond.

sj;

On the "first" day of Christmas....

'Tis the holiday season and time for a blog that resembles more a daily blog than a seasonal one.

Advent is my favorite season in the church year --- I love the preparing, the anticipation, the gatherings, the music, the symbols, the silence, the good will; what better time than this to resume the blog.

This series of blogs will be my own version of the "Twenty-Five Days of Christmas." Because it's now the third of December, on some days I'm going to need to double-up.

Hope this is the foundation of the festivities we prepare for and celebrate. There is the hope of getting what one wants for Christmas.
There is the hope of a new start that the season of Advent brings as with it a new year begins in the life of the church.
There is the hope of gathering the family together.
There is the hope of finding light and life in the places and people that surprise you.

One of my favorite parts of this blog is the section called the "Hope Tracker" along with reading the post, I hope you also scroll down to read the various hope tracks.

I challenge you to look for the tracks of hope within your own life and the places where you live and move and build your being.

In this far too busy season, I encourage you to find time for lots of silent nights and quiet times for reflection. Here's a quote by Cornell West to get you started:

“Hope and optimism are different. Optimism tends to be based on the notion that there's enough evidence out there to believe things are gonna be better, much more rational, deeply secular, whereas hope looks at the evidence and says, "It doesn't look good at all. Doesn't look good at all. Gonna go beyond the evidence to create new possibilities based on visions that become contagious to allow people to engage in heroic actions always against the odds, no guarantee whatsoever." That's hope. I'm a prisoner of hope, though. Gonna die a prisoner of hope.”

Let us journey;

sj;