DoxA

Boxing Day

Most of us here in the states generally have no intention of celebrating Boxing Day; in fact, most don’t even know what it is. It was explained to me that the Canadians would use the 26^th of December to put gifts and decorations away and thereby get the day off to box up their Christmas stuff... I later learned that has nothing to do with Boxing Day.

The origins of Boxing Day can be somewhat disputed but central to the theme of this holiday, which is traditionally recognized within the English Commonwealth, is the concept of appreciation; their attempt at Thanksgiving. But rather than thanking God for the abundance and protection at year end this holiday places the focus on the generosity and the care on those who have served and went without otherwise on Christmas day.

Yesterday, I was in the kitchen preparing our Christmas meal. I am used to having done this for years in a place where if you missed an ingredient for one of your dishes you were SOL... simply out of luck, because all the groceries stores would be closed. So now, days in advance, I prepare and shop to be certain I have everything. Well, as luck would have it; I didn’t have enough of one ingredient. Frustrated, I left the house hoping -- HOPING to find a grocery store open... Well, apparently here in San Jose, shutting down the city isn’t a priority because our neighborhood Safeway was open as usual! I walked in, the place looked normal, the produce, meat and bakery sections were operating at full tilt. It was as if it were any other day of the week with one exception: It didn’t feel right. People were walking briskly and nobody was talking. The line at the Starbucks kiosk was longer than normal. But what really got my attention was the manager on duty who was extremely curt and frustrated with the checkout clerk who was trying to help another employee figure out an override. When trying to explain what she was doing this manager, with determined tone of voice, said, “You just get back to where you belong!” The thought went through my head at that moment, “She belongs home... with her family.” Perhaps she was thinking the same thing.

It was then I realized, I appreciated these folks; the baker who was still putting out cookies at three in the afternoon, the barista pumping out lattes, the manager who couldn’t control her temper and the slender, five foot or so, twenty something girl who had a wonderful smile of surprise when I told her, “Thank you for serving us today!”

Boxing Day; it’s a day for them. A time to give them a day off and we serve.

Look at it this way; we get the best of life when we are cared and waited upon during moments that are designed to make life valuable and meaningful. Not only these folks who work on Christmas day or other holidays, there are the people who are hard at work in the wee hours preparing your food for the day and cleaning your trash from yesterday and then there are those who stand watch for our country’s defense and miss the joy of loved ones, sitting by a fire, listening to soft music or playing pool with their buddies... it is for these people we need a national Boxing Day.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Ga 5:13

I hope in this coming year we can have a keener sense of what we can do for others as we recognize what they do for us. May we begin to think in terms of gratuity rather than immunity and work toward equality and justice for those who are willing to recognize a need and do something about it... Just like a checkout clerk willing to face the scorn of her boss by lending a helping hand.

Merry New You!

Look For Jesus Everywhere

In light of our discussions lately about having a

Common Bond, with the Creator of the Universe through Christ, I wanted to share this little essay I wrote a couple of years ago about this time of year. Christ in us is a profound concept that requires understanding the full nature of God and how his Spirit dwells within the hearts of mankind. However, simply put, it is during this time of year we are somewhat aware of this phenomenon, not because of what we know but because of what we see...

            At some point in most every person’s life, the question arises. It usually begins as something of an observation, but then it grows to an acute awareness. Finally, it swells uncontrollably to the point that the words are formed by the mouth and spoken – almost angrily. Where did the magic of the holidays go? When was childlike wonder replaced by anxiety and apathy? How did the spirit of the most wonderful holiday of the year escape my once expectant heart?

The answers are simple. With the passing of years, the magic of the holidays is crowded out by the all too real world of worries. Childlike wonder is pushed beneath a blanket of self-induced stress. The expectant heart is smothered by a vast array of responsibilities – squeezed into too little time. The result is that our faith in the God of wonder is doused with the cold water of simple human haste. Can the magic of the holidays be restored in the heart? Most certainly and quite simply: Here’s how.

You’ve probably been making a list and checking it twice… so to speak. That’s smart. Otherwise, you might miss someone or something you are supposed to remember. This year, just so you won’t forget, write this at the top of the list: “Look for Jesus everywhere.”

If you look, you’ll see Him. The spirit of Christ is everywhere during the holidays. That’s why we love his time of year so much. That’s why we hear the endless quotes and comments about how nice it would be if everyone could have the Christmas spirit all year long. It is during these weeks, between Thanksgiving and Christmas that we experience the heart and spirit of Jesus.

You can see Him in the extra expression of courtesy and kindness in some of your fellow shoppers. You’ll recognize Him in hospital volunteers handing out gifts to seriously ill children, some of whom will go to be with Him before His birthday arrives, and there He is again in the smiles of those same children, as they receive their gifts. Once you start noticing, you’ll be amazed at all the shapes and forms He takes. His spirit is there in the bell ringers, soup-kitchen servers, carolers, and helpers of the homeless. He’s right there in the bright smile of an expectant child, the tears of a proud mother, and the embrace between longing parents of a prodigal son or daughter who’s been called home by a still small voice. And when you look into a mirror, don’t be surprised if you see the sparkle of His spirit staring back at you.

Perhaps this is one item you can keep yon your list all year long… “Look for Jesus everywhere.”

 

Christmas Time is Hear

Much of what we know about Christmas is discovered by what we see. But what of the things we hear?

We live in a little community here in San Jose called Willow Glen. My wife and I were told when we moved to this small little, throw back to sixties, how wonderful the neighborhoods were with the community coming together for block parties, over the top Halloween trick or treating and amazing Forth of July celebrations but the biggest deal of all is how the community decorates for Christmas!

About a month ago we received a letter in the mail asking us to order our "yard" tree. You see it's tradition to put up a "Charlie Brown" tree in the front lawn with colored lights and the light at the top of the tree has to be white. So this past week we picked up our pre-ordered tree at our neighbors house who organized the ordering and pickup of the trees and joined the hundreds of houses in rows with multi-colored, lit, scrawny Christmas trees. Driving into our neighborhood just a week ago we were singing, "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas," today with just about everyone's decorations up; we sing, "Christmas Time is Here!"

Which is the real point of what I would like to discuss. Seeing Christmas is much different than hearing Christmas.

There is so much in music; emotion, beauty, encouragement, companionship... if seeing is believing then hearing is being.  In other words, decorations let me know what time of year it is, while listening to Christmas music transcends time. Music can transport me back in time to a moment or Christmas music specifically can put me in the spirit of Christmas even if it's July.

These songs are unique, special and somewhat proprietary. The music of Christmas is owned by the singer and not the writer. Christmas' music conveys truth and hope... this music is a reminder of what God has done and what He intends for each of us. New life, hope, peace... salvation.

God saves! It is the meaning of the name, Jesus. Unfortunately, each year we look for the things that matter least... A golf club or pair of earrings. What we really need is to see our lives, which have all types of troubles, be saved from running into the rocks of despair, defeat and discouragement. Shouldn't we ask and get things that make life what it is supposed to be? "What I really want this year, is for my ________ to be repaired, restored, renewed, recovered."

• What issues are you really facing this year?
• Are these concerns recurring or new?
• In your home, is there hope or hurt this year?
• What is your biggest fear?
• Are you trying to control your circumstances on your own power or trusting God will do the impossible?
• What do you really want for Christmas this year if God could give it to you directly?
• For you, what would "Peace on Earth" really look like?

I spoke to a pastor friend this morning and he is tired. He feels his days of pastoring are over because he has had to endure far too much personal pain that now clouds the future for any professional gain. I find this really sad and I'm finding it more and more often. How can we keep our wits about us when we find ourselves at a place where we don't know what to do, completely lost and in a mess we can't seem to get out of?

Well, looking at all the pretty decorations isn't going to cut it! But perhaps the music; "Joy to the world, the savior reigns" can remind us that God is with us...

...Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin^* will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

^* Or young woman.

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Is 7:13-14

This little child was to be a constant reminder to a king that the Lord takes the impossible and makes it possible. This little Child was to be a promise to you and me that the Lord never abandons, He does not sleep, He is with us no matter what we face, where we are or how ugly things get. Remember Jesus, (God saves!) didn't come to a place where the streets were pretty and decorated with multi-colored trees; He showed up in the midst of a poo-ridden, maggot infested, make you want to gag, stable. This too was to be a sign...

^"And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger."

Tyndale House Publishers: Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 2nd ed. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 2004, S. Lk 2:12

Yes, I know... Signs you see! But decorations don't get into our hearts like music you can't get out of your heads.

Sing, this Christmas... Sing! It may be just the reminder that God is With You.

Immanuel