Generosity and journeying

So the Advent series has drawn to a conclusion - much like the birth of a child: there is much anticipation and climax building and then, when here all must quieten in order for the babe to sleep. It is a time for even more pondering...

Over the last four weeks I have travelled with the excellent people of Stewardship on their #adventwonder series and on the way we have paused to wonder about angels, shepherds, innkeepers, gifts, Mary, Joseph, and so much more that fills the story of anticipation and arrival of the Messiah. I have deliberately set aside time to wonder about all of these aspects (I've been assisted at times by also using a little book called 'C is for Christmas' (Wiersbe and Wiersbe)) and I have become rich for the experience. My preparation for advent and Christmas itself in times past has often been the place for commenting 'I just don't feel Christmassy yet!' - on this journey I felt ready physically, emotionally and spiritually for the joyous celebration of Christ's coming to earth. I am truly grateful for the opportunity and the journeying with my friends across the world who have used the same way by using #adventwonder.

Thanks for travelling with me! (See you in February for #40acts !)

It's a birthday!

Tomorrow is Jesus' birthday (possibly not the real date but we don't really know), yesterday was Jack's birthday (also possibly not the real date as his parents were given the choice of 23rd or 24 th because he was born on the stroke of midnight).

Tomorrow we will celebrate Jesus' birthday with gifts and a big meal.

Yesterday we celebrated Jack's birthday with gifts and a big meal.

Jesus spent a lot of time with his friends.

Jack spends a lot of time with his friends.

It really feels good having Jesus in my family as well as Jack!

When Jesus was born the Bible say that Mary 'pondered' upon that which had gone on: angels, shepherds, stables and the like. We have no record of her thoughts but that she took time to think.

When Jack was born he was the third child (a fourth was to follow). We took care of him as any parent would, we wanted the best for him. That takes a lot of 'pondering' for any parent. The balance of aspiration and reality.

These days we are so proud of who Jack is. His character and personality are warm and friendly, he make friends easily, he is good company, he has great taste in music, he is a phenomenal drummer. Some of those things we thought about a long time ago - some we didn't.

I can't help but wonder what thoughts were in Mary's mind as she held that baby in a borrowed shed...

Maybe I should spend more time myself wondering about her baby as well as mine...

Bread for Today

Today I am wondering about bread.

One thing I really enjoy is baking. I have a pretty small repertoire but I can produce a pretty good cake - in fact yesterday before breakfast knocked up a chocolate Swiss roll and turned it into a Yule log which impressed Catheime no end!

However my attempts at bread making are not so successful at all. If the lock builders yard runs out of house bricks I can supply them straight from the oven! Bread is such a basic commodity that when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray daily bread was the practical prayer he made.

Fortunately I can go to a supermarket and buy the bread I cannot bake - but I'm the blessed one. I have money, ability, and freedom to do so. Not everyone ia blessed in this way. 

Today I will be looking at my funds to consider if there is a charity or individual I can help to receive their duly bread. Christmas is a time when many people over indulge - I want to ensure it'ss a time when all people can eat bread at the very least.

It's a mystery

With Christmas only a matter of days away for most of us the focus is on preparation. Even the simplest Christmas requires some preparing. Whether it is food to be bought, gifts to be wrapped or rooms to be readied for the visitors who will arrive soon activity is the order of the day.

In the midst of the activity there is little opportunity to pause, stop, reflect on the mystery of Christs birth.

Yet mystery it is. 

Why should God wrap himself up as a scrap of humanity?

Why would he do this via a betrothed teenager in what we now call the Middle East?

Why would he choose a stable for his arrival?

Or shepherds as his first visitors?

Why would wise men bring such bizarre gifts as gold, frankincense and myrrh?

There is mystery here - and wonder- wrapped in faith and hope. Don't be so active that you miss the mystery of Bethlehem.

Baggage and Fear

Baggage and fear.

Two things that get carried through Advent and grow at the same time. Today I am caused to wonder about these twins - through the story on the edge of the Christmas tale, that of Herod.

Here is a man that carries both baggage and fear: the baggage of being a roman puppet king, the fear that his power could disappear any moment, the baggage of personal failure in relationships and the fear that those who come to him might undermine his position - and no doubt many other things beside. His holding on and his terror causes him to enact a wicked law which leads to the slaughter of innocents. No wonder we tend to skip over this part of the narrative. I find myself having to pause at this point as our own news media have brought the story in recent days of the slaughter of innocents in a Pakistani school. Our hearts stop at this horror - our anger rises at the perpetrators. An act committed out of fear and the weight of assumed religious responsibility. A mourners simple placard reminds us that "Terror is not a faith".

In being drawn into the first or twenty first century story it would be easy to ignore baggage and fear on a personal level.

I wonder how many people carry the baggage of expectation this season? Someone expects them to behave in a particular way - maybe it's the friends who expect riotous behaviour from the mild, maybe it's a selfish spouse who expects more than can be given, maybe it is baggage from childhood that makes this time of year a burden. 

And what about fear? There are those that fear the actions of those close to them that over indulge, there is fear for some in every purchase and every keying in of their credit card PIN number - knowing they will never afford this Christmas.

The essence of advent, the sense of Christmas is in love - and perfect loves throws fear into the rubbish bin. The astronomers seek the one born King of the Jews in order to lavish Him with worship and their love; Jesus in sent into the world to show how much God lives the world.

His perfect love casts out fear, releases the baggage and leads to the most beautiful freedom of spirit imaginable.

Listen...

I When I woke this morning just before six o'clock - my normal time for getting up - I start a conversation with God. He said to me 'just listen'. I tried to rationalise with Him but he said again 'listen'. And so I went to my normal place to pray, didn't do the things I normally do but just listened.

God reminded me of the importance of hearing Him. He brings a message of peace and of challenge. He brings comfort and, in the right way, disturbance.

I felt a little bit like Zecharaiah who was placed in a position of only being able to listen until he named his son John.

I felt a little like Joseph who listened to the voice of an angel to reassure him that his life was to be changed beyond imagining.

I felt like a shepherd in the darkness of the night having my normality changed and presented with the chance to witness God at work.

I felt like a disciple hearing 'come and follow me'.

My 'Advent wondering' has taken me many places in the last three weeks or so. To 'just' listen is a place I must visit more often...

Who's coming for Christmas ?

Christmas is about 'gathering'. The coming together of generations of families to celebrate the Holy Family.

Advent is about anticipation and waiting with expectation.

There is a romantic notion that Joseph and the heavily pregnant Mary made a lonely way to Bethlehem across windswept plains and through lonely streets. This is depicted in film and on cards - the stranger born in a manger.

I suspect that the truth was quite different - Joseph was heading to Bethlehem because there was a census to be held. Everyone had to be registered in their 'own town' so the whole family made their way to Bethlehem. Parents and children would have gathered en route to travel together to the placebos census. Every step bringing conversation and expectation of meeting up with those in the family who had not been seen for a long time. The Roman imposed census had presented the very family oriented people with an opportunity to get together. 

Christmas still does that - we have an opportunity to gather together once again, generation with generation, brother and sister, cousin, grandparent - even those who are unrelated are welcomed in...

Every year across the world the Advent of Salvation is acted out in our homes. And we miss the significance!

When Jesus came he came into community, he created community.

When we gather together unwittingly we are doing the same - we are recognising family bonds, the love that holds us together and, at the same time, welcoming in those who have no bloodline with us but share a relationship.

Christ's coming was for the family of the Jewish nation - and ultimately embraced the whole community of humankind.

Who are you welcoming into the community of your family this advent?