PastorTim

Christmas Joy

The Plymouth Heights church was blessed to assemble food & fruit basket for the community last week. What a joy to work together with such a great group of committed Christ Followers.

A Few shots from the Christmas Cantada a week before.....

 

CHRISTMAS PAST…. MY PAST

 

I can still remember the excitement pulsating through my pre-adolescent mind as we prepared for one the most exciting journeys of the year. The annual ride to Portsmouth to look at Christmas lights. We’d pile into Grandpa Cecil’s turquoise Rambler and off we’d go. This was no small occasion. I had it penciled in on my Grange insurance calendar for months now. School was out for the Christmas break, letters to Santa had been promptly mailed two weeks earlier and the school passing party had netted me a cool soap on a rope, the sports edition no less. No juvenile coloring book for me, I would be able to keep my body clean in three choices of scented soap baseballs all made in those warm earth tone colors of the 1970’s. 

So the day finally arrived, and I can still remember the music on the radio as we pulled out of the driveway. It was almost dark as we approached the metropolis of Portsmouth and found ourselves, Grandpa Grandma & me, enthralled by the lights! I can still remember thinking, “how lucky folks must be to live in town and get to see the lights everynight.” The city folks were probably saying, “oh to live in the country where we don’t have all these lights!” To me though, they are memories I will cherish for a lifetime. I can still remember the hustle and bustle of Chillicothe Street. The smell of Kresgee’s, H.L. Green, and even Kobaker’s still have residence in my mind as I remember back to Christmas time in my childhood. We usually shopped at the Five and Ten to shop, then to Marting’s where it was mostly looking not shopping.  What a magical place though. It would be years later when Terri and I would take Joe & Steph as youngsters to see the lights and then visit Santa at Marting’s Toyland, still looking, not shopping. I looked again this week for it. That Christmas feeling I mean. Joe and I were out shopping for Terri “I know it’s early for me to start, one week from the big day!” So anyway Joe and I were out shopping and we found ourselves walking the decorated Boney Fiddle district of Portsmouth. The old stores I remember are long gone, just memories on old advertisements and badges. But you know what? I found it. The excitement I mean. I felt it again as I walked from one antique store to the next and visiting some new shops. The feeling was there again. My 45 year old body felt different, but the excitement of Christmas was there. I believe it’s because Christmas doesn’t live in a building or in our memories for that matter. It is found in the message of Messiah, promised to us in Holy writ. Recorded for us in the Gospels and extended to us through the Gospel of this child of Mary’s found in Bethlehem that first Christmas night.

Come to think of it, my Christmas past and yours goes way back farther that we can remember. In fact it goes back to Bethlehem. Remember the message of the angels concerning Jesus? “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Did you catch that Good Tidings of Great Joy to all people part? If I’m not mistaken, All People includes you and me! Good news of great joy, to us? You bet, but oh how we miss it!

Kind of like the little girl who came home from Sunday school with what she thought was an amazing likeness to the whole Christmas scene she had learned In the bible. “My teacher says that mine was the most unusual picture of Christ’s birth she had ever seen” she boasted. The mother studied it and quickly agreed. “Why do you have all the people riding in the back of an airplane” the mother asked? The girl said, “it’s the flight to Egypt”, a little disappointed. “Who’s the mean looking man in the front?” “That’s Pontius the pilot!”, she said, now a little irritated. The mother then cautiously asked, “who is the fat man sitting behind Mary?” The little girl sighed, “That’s round John virgin!” Cute story, but sometimes we can become like that little girl, we think we know the story, but we miss the truth of the message! In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas." Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He totally missed the big news--man had flown! I want to cherish my past Christmas’s that have a special place in my heart. I also pray that we can embrace, and truly live a life of peace and joy because of our Christmas Past. It wasn’t just for the shepherds and wise men that he came. But for us as well! May this season be the best ever for you and your family. From Terri and I to you, Merry Christmas.

 MEMORIES FROM THE PAST.......  "I COLLECT WEIRD STUFF EH?"

GOD BLESS US, EVERYONE!

Political correctness run amuck is the norm it seems again this year as the yuletide spirit circles the runway of the airport called America’s heart waiting for clearance to land. From the banning of Handel’s Messiah in School celebrations to taping store clerks mouths shut if they dare return a Merry Christmas after, say a $84.99 purchase for Oh such a small bag of groceries! And Lord help the municipal building who has the audacity to put a nativity on display. “What Nerve!” Where’s Bob Cratchett when you need him anyway? One of the first volleys in this year’s war on Christmas was fired in our nations capital. . Ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington, D.C., buses starting next week and running through December. The American Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holiday ad campaign Tuesday. Fred Edwords, spokesman for the humanist group said "Our reason for doing it during the holidays is there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion." "It's the ultimate grinch to say there is no God at a time when millions of people around the world celebrate the birth of Christ," said Mathew Staver, the group's chairman and dean of the Liberty University School of Law. "Certainly, they have the right to believe what they want but this is insulting." Yet few Americans describe themselves as atheist or agnostic; a Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life poll from earlier this year found 92 percent of Americans believe in God. So with those visions dancing like sugarplums in your head listen to this! Two women from Ohio are spearheading a billboard campaign that encourages people to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays. "Last year, Joanne Brown and her friend, Linda Bennett, noticed that employees at many retail stores did not say "Merry Christmas." The pair, part of a group called the Merry Christmas Billboard Ladies, raised money to put up billboards encouraging people to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays” This year, Brown and Bennett are raising money to place billboards that say "I miss hearing you say Merry Christmas" and "It's OK to say Merry Christmas." Both billboards are signed "Jesus."

So far, ten of the billboards have been erected in Ohio. Brown and Bennett have received interest in similar campaigns from people in other states. YOU GO GIRLS!

A story from a few years ago reminds me of how blessed we are to have the privilege of sharing the message of Christmas freely since the birth of our great nation. In 1994 two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on Biblical principles) in the public schools, prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large orphanage. It was nearing the holiday season for the orphans to hear for the first time the traditional Christmas story. They told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem and finding no room in the inn, the couple went to a stable, where Jesus was born and placed in the manger. Throughout the story, the children, according to one of the Americans, “sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word.” As a follow-up activity to the story, each child was given three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manager. A small paper square, cut from yellow napkins, which the children laid them in the manger for straw. Small squares of flannel were used for the baby’s blanket. From pieces of tan felt a doll-like baby was made. As they made their way around the room to observe the children this is what one of the Americans noted, “All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy’s manger, I was startled to see, not one but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the manger.” The observer goes on to note that Misha very accurately recalled the story that had been told until he came to the part where Mary put Jesus in the manger. “Then Misha,” it is noted, “started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no momma and I have no papa, so I don’t have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, “If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?” And Jesus told me, “If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me. So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him – for always.” As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon or abuse him, someone who would stay with him – FOR ALWAYS!” That’s why Jesus came isn’t it? So that be accepting him as our personal Savior we could be with Him…. For always. SO MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. SCROOGE!

SOME PICS FROM THE THROCKMORTON HACIENDA.........

OH DEER!

As reindeer rumors are poised to run rampant in the land I just want to go on record that I am in the process of weighing the concept of deer flying as opposed to deer running! Hunters would have an entirely new outlook on the hunting season for sure although the drawbacks are numerous. From air traffic clutter to the obvious windshield issue! I have often wondered if there some kind of secret deer society that promotes lurking in the trees just waiting for oncoming cars piloted by unsuspecting, coffee drinking, still a bit sleepy travelers who’s cholesterol level becomes apparent as the blood flow to ones heart pounds out of ones chest when a supposedly cute little Bambi looking creature ventures into the roadway in front of them! Whew, that’s been building for a while! I’ve had near misses from Colorado to Cleveland, which only solidifies my suspicion regarding a secret deer society, but anyway I digress. This morning’s brush with deer fur occurred as it sometimes does just moments from home. As I was turning left onto Duck Run I was made aware of a car coming towards me in the opposite lane which is not unusual but what caused me a bit of alarm was the rather large deer that was trying, it seemed, to keep up only in my lane. Yep, Prancer was barreling at me head on at what I would imagine was close to a 35 MPH clip, or so it seemed. Hey I’m a preacher, we tend to exaggerate when telling stories! So here come the car, in the correct lane, the deer in my lane and just about the time I had resigned myself to having to call home and tell Terri that a DEER HIT ME, old Prancer took the gravel to my right and passed right by me! So right between the deer and car I went only to look in the rearview mirror and see him resume little race with the automobile. “Not sure what that was all about”, but what did I care; I’d avoided the dreaded deer encounter that so many are experiencing this season. It seems that every time I have a near Dasher experience that I think of just how unexpected it was when God bared his arm and lovingly reached toward mankind in the incarnation.

 

As Max Lucado puts it, “It was an ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an “extra” on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away. But God dances amidst the common. And that night he did a waltz. The black sky exploded with brightness. Trees that had been shadows jumped into clarity. Sheep that had been silent became a chorus of curiosity. One minute the shepherd was dead asleep, the next he was rubbing his eyes and staring into the face of an alien. The night as ordinary no more. The angel came in the night because that’s when lights are best seen and that’s when they are most needed. God comes to the common for the same reason.” And God did come, Listen to Luke tell it, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Does Luke take our breath away here or what? Expected or not it was what we needed. So as we journey into this Christmas Season, “did you notice how I just said Christmas out loud?” as we journey into this Christmas season let us remember that God sometimes works in unexpected ways. Perhaps he could do more for us and through us if we remembered that truth.

The Call to Worship had just been pronounced starting Easter Sunday Morning service in an East Texas church. The choir started its processional, singing "Up from the Grave He Arose" as they marched in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church. The last lady was wearing shoes with very slender heels. Without a thought for her fancy heels, she marched toward the grating that covered that hot air register in the middle of the aisle. Suddenly the heel of one shoe sank into the hole in the register grate. In a flash she realized her predicament. Not wishing to hold up the whole processional, without missing a step, she slipped her foot out of her shoe and continued marching down the aisle. There wasn’t a hitch. The processional moved with clock-like precision. The first man after her spotted the situation and without losing a step, reached down and pulled up her shoe, but the entire grate came with it! Surprised, but still singing, the man kept on going down the aisle, holding in his hand the grate with the shoe attached. Everything still moved like clockwork. Still in tune and still in step, the next man in line stepped into the open register and disappeared from sight. The service took on a special meaning that Sunday, for just as the choir ended with "Allelujah! Christ arose!" a voice was heard under the church shouting…"I hope all of you are out of the way ‘cause I’m coming out now!" The little girl closest to the aisle shouted, "Come on, Jesus! We’ll stay out of the way." Out of the way of stray deer, out of God’s way. Sounds like a recipe for a great Christmas!