Holiday ABC.....

I = Incarnation This is a biggie in terms of Christian theology; the belief that the Creator of the Universe chose to become human and dwell with us in our world. People often like to ask which aspect of Jesus do you choose to emphasize more, the humanity or the divinity? I’m one who lands solidly on the human aspect --- I like and I need a Jesus who sleeps, weeps, gets angry, and is with me as I do the same.

J = Jingle It’s a sound so closely connected to this season --- the sound of jingle bells. So directly tied is the jingle of bells to Christmas that it can have a kind of Pavlovian response as evidenced in my growing-up years. My parents would use the often-heard-yet-never-seen jingle of bells to summon us to good behavior or to bed early on Christmas Eve. To this day whenever I hear the jingle of bells I find myself tucking in my shirt, saying “please and thank you,” and yawning.

K = Kids Their excitement; their eyes wide with the wonder at the lights and decorations; making cookies together; the photo ops with Santa; and the energy of them ripping into their gifts with total joy and abandon. This really is their season.

L = Lists We make them because they work. As a child, either on our own or with the assistance of a parental scribe, we made lists of the toys and treasures for which we hoped to open on Christmas morning. During the busy-ness of the season, adults make lists to keep track of all that needs done and to savor the rush of being able to cross an item off as completed! Of all the lists, the one that worked the best was having knowledge that Santa kept one too, a tally sheet of who was naughty and who was nice ....gulp....thank goodness one could move relatively easily from column to column and hopefully found one’s self safely in permanent marker on the nice side of the ledger.

sj;

Holiday ABC's

E = Elves Perhaps I should preface this by saying that my maternal lineage is from Wales and, to be more specific, from near Stonehenge (a very magical place) and a little village named….wait for it….”Elf’s Hole.” That fact known, I’m a HUGE fan of the elves and truth be told, Christmas isn’t the only time when elves are busy in the affairs of the world….I’m just sayin’……

F = Family The holidays/holy days are a time for family. We remain a close clan and gather to tell the grand stories of family lore. The photo in this post came precariously close to being a family photo Christmas card. You can dress up the Snyders...yet, you can't let the photo out into the public domain.....

G = Gifts Several years ago, I was in a big, local shopping mall, my arms full of items to be purchased and gifted and waiting in a long line. There was an air of surliness beginning to stir. The woman in front of me, she, also weighted down with an assortment of treasures, turned to me and said, “Those damn wisemen.” And so it goes…….

H = Hark It’s the first word of one of the most well-known Christmas carols – “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” yet, what in the world and the heavens does it mean? Hark means to listen. Perfect. Listen to the message the angels bring of the Gift given. Listen to the sounds of the season. Listen to your own heart. This Christmas time may you have many silent nights in which to listen.

sj;

A lesson on light

It’s been some time since I’ve posted and the alphabet has stalled. It’s not that I don’t have words to go with the letters. It’s that I had to pause for awhile after the tragedy that befell Newtown, CT and our nation.

In this deep loss and continued sorrow, as photos and stories of the likes and dreams of the victims of this horror continue, I find it important to look for where there is light and dwell there.

We are reminded of the truth that to know and appreciate the light we have to know the darkness.

This season, is a time for lights.

On Sunday, the Gospel reading was from John the first chapter and the author’s prologue to his account of the Jesus story in which he writes, “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome it.” Pastor Heather used this as the basis for her little lesson and asked the gaggle of girls and boys seated on the steps with her where it is that they see light. “The sun,” answered one. “My flashlight,” said another. “The candles, “ observed a little boy. And….on and on and on……to the point where they had so many more answers for where they see light that Pastor Heather wisely said that she would walk with them to Extended Session so they each could keep talking and sharing.

I can think of no better reminder of where to look for the light than with the children.

Watch, this light.

Gather around this light.

Follow, this light.

Protect this light…

this light is our most precious treasure…..

sj;