Andy's Blog: A Personal Word

December 2009 Archive

December 14, 2009

Dec. 14, 2009

One of my favorite Christmas poems is found in the book Kneeling in Bethlehem by Ann Weems.
She writes:

In each heart lies a Bethlehem,
an inn where we must ultimately answer
whether there is room or not.
When we are Bethlehem-bound
we experience our own Advent in his.
When we are Bethlehem-bound
we can no longer look the other way
conveniently not seeing stars
not hearing angel voices.
We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily
tending our sheep or our kingdoms.

This Advent, let’s go to Bethlehem
and see this thing that the Lord has made known to us.
In the midst of shopping sprees
let’s ponder in our heart the Gift of Gifts.
Through the tinsel
let’s look for the gold of the Christmas Star.
In the excitement and confusion, in the merry chaos,
let’s listen for the brush of angels’ wings.
This Advent, let’s go to Bethlehem
and find our kneeling places.

December 8, 2009

Dec. 9, 2009

“It’s not your birthday.” That was Mike Slaughter’s Advent message to his con- gregation of 4,500 at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Ohio. He pointed out that although the tradition of gift-giving started out with Saint Nicholas’ gifts to the poor, our tradition has evolved to be primarily about giving gifts to ourselves. We buy gifts for our own family – the very people who are likely to buy gifts for us. As if it were our birthday, instead of the Son of God’s! So he made a simple challenge to his congregation: calculate the amount of money you are spending on gifts to your friends and family...and give that amount to the poor. People who took the challenge seriously said it made them re-evaluate how and why they give at Christmas. Some cut back their spending. Others found themselves to be more generous than they ever expected. Since that challenge, their church raised over three million dollars for refugees from Darfur.

Your donation to the Christmas Gift of Joy goes to support Trinity’s second-mile efforts. We support a number of partner agencies as well as our own in-house mission efforts.
Because of your generosity in 2009, you have:

• fed people at Church of the Reconciler 5 days out of the week • provided education, shelter, and resources to young mothers through Babies First
• kept premature babies warm with clothes made through Baby Love
• sheltered and fed people through the Firehouse Shelter
• provided health care through the clinic at M-Power
• supported Camp Sumatanga
• supported Camp Wesley in Latvia

All of this is due to your generosity and the second-mile giving you have done at Christmas and Easter. Yet, part of the reason we give is not because of the good we do. It’s because we have an urge to give, an urge given to us by our Creator. So this year as you make your budget and do your shopping, remember: “it’s not your birthday!”

December 1, 2009

Dec. 1, 2009

For some folks, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year.  Decorations, festive parties, food, presents – what’s not to love about it? But instead of “Happy Holidays,” for many, the experience is one of “Harried Holidays.” The holidays are one of the most taxing and tense times of the year. There are many things that cause stress during the holidays. Here are just a few:

1) Finances – especially in the current economic decline, the added expenses of the season can bring added stress.
2) Painful memories – the loss of a spouse, a parent, or a child is felt in a keen way during this season.
3) Too many activities – on top of taking care of everyday activities and chores, we find ourselves taking on all those extra holiday preparations.
4) Overindulgence – need I say more.
5) Being alone
6) Relationships – tensions in families can intensify during the holidays. 

Some hints to handle the stress:
1) Be realistic – the holidays don’t have to be perfect. As families grow and change, traditions may need to change also. Be realistic with things like your budget and getting together with families and others.
2) Acknowledge your feelings – if you have suffered a loss, know that it is normal to feel sad. It’s okay to grieve.
3) Stick to a budget – decide how much you can afford to spend and stick with it.
4) Learn to say no – you don’t have to do it all. Saying yes, when you should say no, can leave you feeling resentful.
5) Keep healthy habits – keep to your exercise and sleep routine, and watch what you eat. 
6) Take a breather – plan ahead for your activities and plan some time to be by yourself to clear your mind and focus. 
7) Reach out – if you are feeling alone, seek out others by volunteering or attending social events. 
8) Remember the reason for the season – one church I am familiar with follows the theme “It’s Not Your Birthday.” For Christians, this should be more of a Holy Day than a Holiday. Keep focused on keeping Christ at the center and allow that to guide you through your decisions and preparations. 

Full listing »