still at it......

 K = KRIS KRINGLE

 

When meeting someone the opening questions tend to be where are you from and what do you do.  I’ve been in communities where a third question is who are your people.

In a way answers to these questions are a mini version of one’s origin story.  Hollywood realized early on that origin stories play well at the Box Office.  If there is any doubt, note the summer blockbusters: Barbie and Oppenheimer; seeking to cash in on holiday season movie going there is Wonka.

 

The holiday special, “The Year Without a Santa Claus” tells the story of Kris Kringle, the storybook origin story of Santa Claus and features one of my brother’s most favorite Christmas special characters, Meister Burger Burgermeister.

 

How much do we study and converse on the origin story of Jesus?  Sure, there is the nativity story we know so well, yet take a read through of the Gospel of Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus and the handful of women surprisingly listed in the lineage and known as “The Five Shady Ladies.”    Who were Mary’s parents?  What thoughts raged and spirits clenched in them at their daughter’s news?

 

Origin stories re-member (punctuation intentional) to our roots, our people, our lines, the lives of those who in some way made us the very focus of their lives.  Sometime on a silent night name them.

 

J is for....

 

J = JOY

""

Have you ever done the “Managing Interpersonal Relationships (MIR) Program?" It’s similar to the more famous Myers-Briggs except MIR has other persons, answer the questions in how they perceive you.  Like Myers-Briggs there are four main quadrants with four sub quadrants.  The big four are clockwise from bottom left: Amiable, Analytic, Driver, Expressive.  

 

I live loudly in the “Expressive-Expressive” corner.

 

I don’t have a poker face.  

I wear my heart on my whole wardrobe.

I am a human muppet.

 

We disciple ourselves to the Christ, who is Love, who has come to dwell with us! I believe we should act as if that is so and show a little…OK, a lot of joy.

 

Because it is so infrequent, I clearly recall three worship moments when the joy present was tangible, felt, buzzing, snapping, humming, there!  

One was during a communion service at Mt. St. Benedict. While walking up to partake with the music soaring, persons went up front in a wonderful weaving pattern, dancing all the way, giving and receiving hugs and smiling big and bright!  

The second was at my home congregation of Freeport when I preached and lead worship and our closing hymn was “Shine, Jesus, Shine!”  The organist was Julliard trained and her playing and our joy was rock concert worthy!  Forget being called the “frozen chosen,” we were the melted and moving in joy!

The third was while pastoring a congregation in Erie, the Feast of St. Nicholas, December 6, was on a Sunday.  Tradition holds that for the Feast of St. Nicholas children would leave their shoes near the fire place and St. Nicholas would fill them with treats.

Along with the children's ministry team we decided to celebrate this tradition.  Prior to coming up front for the "Little Lesson," I asked the kids to remove their shoes and take them to the back of the sanctuary.  They trusted me and followed the request. 

When the little lesson was over and the kids went back to get their shoes they found their footwear filled to over flowing with a variety of candy and chocolate.  The congregation knew the kids had found the surprise when little Michael shouted, "Holy Crap! Look at all this stuff! I'm glad I wore my snow  boots today!"

That unbridled, free, released, honest joy should be the norm in all our celebrations....  

Advent ABC's

 I = IMAGINE

Those of us of a certain age recall the excitement the day the SEARS Christmas catalog arrived.  As the youngest, I waited my turn patiently....OK, I'm sure pouting was involved, some whining and then wisdom to just wait as I knew my siblings would be off to school and the book would be all mine....I'd find the toys section, look at the pictures and dog-ear the pages that contained my desires.

Though, as a kid who cared if the catalog had a title, just show me the goods....yet, I am confident that one of those treasured catalogs was emblazoned with "IMAGINE" on its cover.

Mum, holding steadfast in the engine of the house, the kitchen, would be at the table, catalog in hand, checking each dog-eared page and deciding the economics and enchantment of the selection.  She always came through and Christmas morning was a wrapped pile of delights. 

I don't have to imagine any of the home memories of my childhood and the efforts my mother gave during this holiday season, I see all clearly and can readily hear mum's voice and I miss her in the down deep places where the good stuff is. Blessed be for the gift of her;