T'was the night before Christmas when all through the town,
Not a person was smiling; they all had a frown. The mall doors were all locked; they were guarded with care; In hopes that hoards of shoppers would soon arrive there. The clerks stood ready, all dressed in holiday red, While visions of full registers danced in their heads. Then mama in her PJs, and I in my vest, Climbed out of our tent, ahead of the rest. Now out in the parking lot, arose a clatter, We all turned to see just what was the matter. In unison we craned our necks longing to see, Yet keeping our place in line we wanted to be. The red and blue lights from the top of the car, Proved a dignitary was close, coming from far. When what to our disbelieving eyes should appear, But the CEOs of ev'ry store we held dear. They spread through the crowd, somewhat panicked and thick; They jumped up on a stage, erected so quick. An emcee appeared, and out of the car he came, And introduced them-called them each by name. From Macy's, Best Buy, Target, Wal-Mart and more, Kmart, and Dillards, Kohl's and one other store, To the front of the line, to the end of the mall, Now please listen to us, please listen to all. Christmas gifts for the family are all very fine, But this is the year you must all draw the line. You see, it's not the cash or the size of the box, And it's not the money; why put yourself in hock? Rather, it's the time you will give that means the most, It's the stories you tell, the occasional toast. So dash away, dash away, dash away all; On to your houses, now leave this here mall. Off the stage strode the CEOs one and all From their limos on cell phones they all made a call. Christmas time is just perfect for lots of nice presents, But what family needs most is your generous presence.
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President Roosevelt appeared before a joint session of Congress on December 8 and declared, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941–a date which will live in infamy–the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.”
It was then that the United States began a four-year struggle on two fronts that cost over 400,000 American lives. On the 75th anniversary of that day of infamy I pause to give tribute and honor to those men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The news of December 7 hit my family hard, as my Grandmother’s four sons enlisted, leaving her at home with only a flag with four blue stars hanging in her front room window. She would pray daily that her stars would remain blue and not change to gold. For a gold star meant that a family member had died in action. One terrible attack changed the course of my family’s history, as well as the entire world. On this December 7th I am reminded of another surprise attack, the attack of Satan against Adam and Eve. He surprised them with a temptation too good to pass up and the future of Adam and Eve was changed, as well as the whole world. For that one act brought sin and death to all. Then another battle was fought that again changed the future for mankind. Christ struck down the power of Satan, along with death, when he fought on the cross and rose victorious on Easter morning. His death and resurrection secured for us eternal life. December 7th is a day for honoring courageous men and women who fought against those who desired to take away our freedoms here on earth. It is also a day to rejoice in the freedom won by Christ. This is the time of year when the world stops and turns to share gifts, good deeds and kindness with one another. Bell ringers remind us to give of our plenty to those in need, store sales hold promises of joy and delight on Christmas morning and joyous greetings between strangers bring smiles that warm the night. Yes, it is Christmas time and everything is a little brighter.
But there is a darker side to this season as the desire to shower loved ones with the latest and greatest leads to spending money not yet earned. Nerves are frazzled as one circles parking lots searching for a parking spot. Empty slots on store aisles mock those who wait until the last minute to get that desired prize. Yes, it is Christmas time and everything gets a little more stressful. Christmas carols remind us that this season in more than presents, it is family – families gather together to sing songs, eat wonderful meals and laugh with one another Yes, it is Christmas time and time for family. But there are those among us who will stare at an empty spot on the floor where the tree should be – the precious spouse who brought life into the season now gone, excited children moved away with children of their own. Others, newly single, struggle with continuing life as their one they loved walked away – tearing apart not only the marriage, but the heart. Yes, it is Christmas and a time for loneliness. There is no greater gift we can give then our presence. Let us gather our family around us and rejoice. Let us also seek out those among us who are alone, those who struggle, those who need a friend. Let us gather them into our family, for these are our brothers and sisters in faith. Let us give them our presence and remind them of God’s presence in their life. Yes, it is Christmas. The Christmas celebration is a time when I recall the gift of Jesus, born a baby in the most unlikely circumstances. The story of His birth is one I never tire of hearing.
Christmas is also a time for presents. The other night I had the house to myself. I sat on the couch bathed in the glow of the Christmas tree lights and let my mind travel back over the years to past trees – past Christmas memories. I thought, “What is Christmas really about?” As I relived past Christmases, I would have to honestly say, “It was about the presents.” Yes, for the first years of my life, it was all about the presents I would receive. I can recall going to church on Christmas Eve, reciting my lines, eating the cookies, changing into pajamas, setting out the milk and cookies, kneeling at the bedside and praying fervently for – a BB gun, a real crystal radio, a big boy’s bike, an erector set, Fort Apache, or any one of a myriad of presents. The excitement of awaking my brothers to tiptoe into the living room to see the tree and its promise of one special gift evokes powerful memories. Yes, for the first years of my life it was receiving presents. Then there was the special Christmas when I was older that life began to shift. I was still happy to open presents, but now it was more exciting to watch them being opened. Every year I tried to get just the perfect gifts for Mom, Dad, and my brothers. I wanted to give them the gift that they would always remember. The one special gift not unlike the ones I had received that gave me immeasurable joy. One year I gave Mom a gift that brought tears to her eyes. One year it was Dad’s turn for tears. Each year the goal was to bring tears of joy to my parent’s eyes. Each year my wife holds my heart in her hand when she opens my present to her. I try to listen to her dreams, remember the hints and decipher the body language so that I could give her the perfect present – the one gift that would take her breath away. Sometimes I do. Her look when she opens her present fills my heart with such joy that it seems as if it will break. Then one year life changed again. No longer was “presents” was what it was all about, but rather it was “presence.” The greatest gift we gave our children’s Grandparents was our presence on Christmas Eve. The look of pure joy on my parents’ faces when we all piled out of the station wagon was better than any present we could have given them. On Christmas Eve, Dad sang louder, Mom baked more and we laughed longer when we were together. It is my turn to be grandpa and I now know firsthand that Christmas is all about presence. Over the years, I have learned that “the gift” is important, but presents are not as important as “presence.” The greatest gift we gave to each other is our presence, standing with family, friends, neighbors and congregation as we celebrate the – the greatest present ever received is the gift of Jesus, our Savior. Parent/Teacher Conferences – the very name induces fear and trembling in the heartiest of souls.
For teacher – the day is looked at from the perspective of, “How can I share the good and the not-so-good news about the child to the parent?” More often than not, it is the momma who sits across from the teacher wanting to discover the greatest in her child. Teachers struggle to find just the right balance between good news and not-so-good news. Sometimes the momma reveals a struggle in her life that was previously unknown. The teacher must then switch tack as the reason behind certain behaviors and nonperformance is brought to the surface. Children are very sensitive people. They react to every word, nuance and mannerism from their parent. Children will often internalize conflicts and the result is a drop in grades, acting up in class or unexpected absences. Teachers must be on guard not to judge too harshly when a child exhibits symptoms of a deeper problem. Sometimes teachers have the pure joy of sharing great news with a parent. Momma will begin to verbalize her feelings that her child certainly is faltering and failing, only to be stopped short by a teacher who can smile, sit back and tell momma, “Your child is doing absolutely great!” I lived for such conferences. Parents enter the conference with fear of the unknown – what will teacher report about my child? Every parent has sat in the chair to listen to a teacher explain how their child is living a different life in the classroom than what was reported at home. Parents must check their natural instinct to believe their child and try to listen rationally to a teacher. I have not always succeeded in hearing. I too often want to believe my child to the point of ignoring what is told to me. Sometimes I am the parent who can react in genuine surprise as the teacher tells me that my child is doing great! It is ice-cream-cones-around time! Students always dread the return of the parents from the conference, for they can be rewarded or grounded – for life. Students always know the truth, but somehow hope that their faults will be overlooked – forgiven – wiped clean. Does that sound familiar? Jesus is the one who wipes our slate clean! We do not live in dread of the conference; rather we look forward to it. We each must face our Father, but we know that when He looks at us, He is looking at us through His Son. “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Romans 13:14, NIV).
Because I was the oldest sibling, the beginning of the school year meant a trip with mom to the local store to purchase a new set of school clothes. My brothers would tag along, for we all needed new school shoes, but I was the only one who needed pants and shirts. That’s because my brothers were of an age and size to wear my old set of school clothes. Over the years, outfits worn by students and teachers have changed. The dress pants and shirts of the boys and the skirts and blouses of the girls have been replaced by shorts, T-shirts, jeans and a variety of stylish garb. Teachers, too, have moved from coats and ties for the men and dresses for the women to a less formal, relaxed dress. Shoe styles have not been immune to change, with leather saddle shoes, penny loafers, and Mary Janes giving way to sports shoes and sandals. These changes have occurred for many good and logical reasons. But the move to a more casual, less proscriptive form of dress has initiated discussions about professionalism, safety, modesty and Christian image. More than one meeting has been devoted to hammering out what should and should not be worn by students and staff. Sometimes these discussions center on individuality versus conformity; at other times, they deal with freedom versus control, or safety versus comfort. After all is said, the outcome of these conversations has to do with an official school uniform. For some that uniform is a standardized, proscriptive outfit, which features school colors and logo. For others the uniform is merely suggested styles, fabrics and footwear. For still others, it’s more a matter of what not to wear -- the uniform in this case being limited to anything not prohibited. Sometimes these discussions on the visible uniform minimize the emphasis on the spiritual uniform we all wear as baptized Christians. Paul reminds us of this garment in his words to the Galatians, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27, ESV). Martin Luther reminds us of the meaning of these words when he writes, “Christ Himself is our garment … the garment of our righteousness and salvation.” Clothing styles change. People will continue to push back against rules and regulations. Culture will redefine appropriate dress. All these are givens. The only garment that never changes and offers an eternal hope is the garment of righteousness and salvation given to us, freely, by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us focus on how He would have us dress. Stress! The very word caused my heart to race. Stress; it is defined as "a number of normal reactions of the body (mental, emotional, and physiological) designed for self-preservation." Stress then is a good thing – it is the response that can save our lives, protect our loved ones, or give us the vitality to lead an active lifestyle. However when the body is subjected to a stress overload or we experience too many stresses, it can have a detrimental effect on the body.
Many factors cause stress in our lives: illnesses, anxiety, joy, rage, anger, happiness, and love create stress reactions in our bodies. Situations can also lead to stress reactions in our body: getting laid off from a job, death of a friend or loved one, birth of a baby, marriage and moving a household can cause the body to experience stress indicators. Yes, events we often consider happy times cause as much stress as those bad times in our life. Stress contributes to high blood pressure, anxiety attacks, heart attacks, and many other illnesses. Untreated stress can lead to death. I do not react well to stress. I tend to panic. I know that if I stop breathing in a hospital, lots of people come into the room – very fast. (Even if it is only for a panic attack.) I get lost in the city and announce, "That's it – we are going to die." (Even when I find my way home.) I see a police car and think, "That's it – I'm busted." (Even when I am not speeding.) My computer stops working and immediately I feel worthless and dumb. (Even when it can be fixed.) Why do I react so badly to stress? I don't know - I don't always. My head knows that my reactions are inappropriate. My heart needs to catch up with my head. The older I get, the calmer I can be. The years have taught me that most everything in life can and will be fixed. My experiences keep pointing me to the fact that God has plans for me – plans for good and not for evil. I have learned to say, "What is the worst thing that can happen to me?" Each time the answer is different, but each answer is similar – "And take they our life, goods, fame, child and wife, Let these all be gone, They yet have nothing won; The Kingdom ours remaineth." Nothing that I can lose on earth can compare to what I will gain in heaven. I do not have to worry about the future - I know where I will be. I can share this Good News with all I see. Do I experience stress? Yes. Will it destroy my life? Not for eternity. Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:
"'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? - Matthew 21:42 Jesus often taught His disciples through the use of parables – earthly stories with a Heavenly meaning. In Matthew 21, Jesus tells His followers about a landowner that built a vineyard and rented it out. The renters refused to pay what they owed. The landowner sent first some of his employees to collect the fees – didn’t work. Then he tried again, didn’t work. Finally, he sent his son, thinking that the renters couldn’t refuse the son, but they did. They rejected him. The landowner is God, the vineyard His creation. We are the renters. The son of the story is Jesus, the Son of God. The story pronounces judgment on the renters. So it is with us. Reject Jesus? Me? How can this be? I must confess that there have been times in my life when I have said bad things about my brothers. I wasn’t always happy with what they were doing and I got mad. I reject Jesus when I am angry at my brothers. I confess that I sometimes let my mind wander during church services. I confess that I am often selfish, refusing to share my things – especially the TV remote. I confess that I often talk about others, not always in a kind way. I reject Jesus. Jesus never rejects me. He paid for sins on the cross – He rose from the grave to give me life – He promises me eternal life. He will never leave me. That is awesome! Reject Jesus? – yes I do – that is sin. Saved by faith! – yes I am – that is salvation. Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' - Matthew 22:4
Jesus again taught His disciples in parables. He told them the story of a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. This was no ordinary banquet – there would be exotic foods, lots of drink and entertainment. No expense would be spared to make this the “part of the year.” The guests would be pampered – treated like royalty. The time came for the feast and the king sent out the word, “Dinner’s ready – come on in.” But the unthinkable happened. The guests refused to show up. They all had things to do – places to go – work to be done. They couldn’t be bothered coming to the King’s party. What to do? The King sent his servants out to invite all they could find – the hall was filled. That is awesome. The parable applies to us today. God is the King. The wedding banquet is Heaven. The feast prepared for us in beyond our wildest imagination! But we don’t have to wait until we are in Heaven to experience the great gifts from our Heavenly King. Each and every day He showers us with abundance. We have clothing and food and drink and friends and family and books and fun and the list is very long. He provides for our needs. He also gives us a great share of our desires. I don’t need a computer – but I have one. I don’t need a closet of clothes - but I have one. I don"t need a multi-bedroom house - but I have one. I don't need a tool bench full of gadgets - but I have one. I don't need a HD TV - but I have one. The list of that which I don't need and have is very long indeed. God desires to give us awesome gifts. The greatest gift He has given us on forgiveness of sins through His Son Jesus Christ. My sins condemn me. His suffering saves me. My sins separate me from God. His cross connects me to God. All this not because I earned it – worked for it – did something special – I have it because the Heavenly King loves me! The One
St. Luke, the 15th chapter: 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Money was tight, and she needed a pair of shoes. So come Saturday morning they packed up the two boys and headed to the discount store. The oldest boy was just four years old – and he did what four year old boys do when entering a shoe store – ran up and down the aisles, climbing on the chairs and bending low to see his reflection in the mirrors built into the combination foot rest, stool and mirror. Dad chased him down while mom took charge of pushing the two year old in his stroller, trying to keep the stroller in the center of the aisle, away from little hands that liked to touch. She found a few pairs of affordable shoes that would work. While the clerk searched the back room, she nested into a comfortable chair. Deciding the little one needed to stretch his legs she lifted him out of his seat and smiled as he tottered around in front of her – his beaming face betraying the joy of being free. The clerk came and piled the boxes in front of her, blocking the view of her youngest. She called for dad and older brother to join her. The family gathered around for the serious business of offering opinions and sharing advice. It hit them both at the same time – where was the baby? He had been right there – busy pulling tissue from boxes. He was gone. They both jumped up – not wanting to panic, but furtively searching the aisles – looking for the telltale blonde head. He wasn’t in sight. They expanded the search – each one travelling a different aisle – soft cries of his name returned unanswered. Soon other shoppers craned their heads as his name was shouted out. The panic kicked in, the adrenaline building along with the fear felt in their gut. Through the open store door dad caught a glimpse of a blonde head heading to the parking lot. Dad’s relief at finding his son soon disappeared as he reached the doorway. His son was in the middle of the road; a car speeding towards him. A quick glance took it all in – the speed of the car, the distance between them – the roar of the engine accelerating down the road confirmed it – the driver did not see the small boy. Dad’s mind raced – what to do? If he called his son’s name – his son might stop – certain doom. The only path to safety lay in getting to the other side. With no thought for his own safety – dad leapt forward. The brakes screeched and dad felt the bumper scrape the back of his leg, but never broke stride as he bent over to grab up his son. Wrapping him close to his chest they reached the safety of the curb. He stood still, trying to catch his breath, his son resting quietly on his chest. The wife’s screams, the car horn blaring, the rush of customers to the doorway – all were ignored as he lifted his son in the air and lightly kissed him on the top of his head. He whispered a quiet, “Thank You, God.” His body was soon racked in spasms as the release of the adrenaline combined with the realization of just how close he came to losing his son. Mom walked over and gently took the now crying boy in her arms, hugging him tightly. As she turned her head to her husband, the tears overflowed onto her cheeks and cascaded down. He recovered, gathered his family together and announced, “Let’s go buy some shoes!” Losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. This fear is reflected in the parable of the Lost Sheep. In the parable we see a loving shepherd gathering his sheep together, counting each one in turn. One can only imagine his thoughts as he reached 99 – where was number 100? Perhaps he called his wife to help him recount. Yes – one was missing. What would he do? He could rationalize – it was only one sheep – he still had 99. The sheep wasn’t that important in the larger scheme of things. It would probably turn up in the morning; after all, it was an animal, used to the elements. To set out and search for it now would mean taking time from his family – his relaxation. The best use of his valuable resources, time and energy would be to watch over the 99 – letting the 1 to fend for itself. After all, a tired shepherd is no good to anyone. He should really feed the 99, after all, they did what they were supposed to – they didn’t wander off. He owed it to his father and his grandfather – both who shepherded on these very hills – to continue the familiar routine handed down from the start of the shepherding business – the way it has always been done. Yes, the rationalization made sense – leaving the 99 would mean taking from them scarce and valuable resources – for what? Was one sheep worth so much effort? So he does the impractical – the unheard of – something the other shepherds would not understand – he leaves the 99 and sets out to search for the 1 lost sheep. I would imagine that as the shepherd searched, he had many doubts – why am I doing this when I could be at home kicking back with a nice glass of Merlot? Perhaps he replayed the taunts of the other shepherds as they yelled after him as he left – “Hey, sheep boy – what about the 99? You just gonna walk out and ignore them? You gotta take care of your own – what would your dad say? You hear me – we take care of our own – we don’t go out on wild sheep chases!” One can also imagine the joy the shepherd had as he came across his lost sheep. He bent down and gently lifted it on his shoulders, softly talking to the frightened sheep, “There, there, I am here. I won’t let anything happen to you. Let’s go join your brothers and sisters.” Isaiah, the 53rd chapter: We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. We are the lost sheep. We wandered away, following trails of our own making, ignoring the calls of the Good Shepherd. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He sent His Son to redeem us – to bring us back into the fold – to seek us who are lost – to wrap us in His arms and love us to safety. Before Christ ascended into Heaven, He made provisions for all those other sheep down through the centuries who would wander away: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We confess that we often fail. We get so involved in serving the 99 that we ignore the 1. We plead ignorance, (I don’t know what to do or what to say) fear, (What if they reject me?) lack of resources, (I don’t have the time or the energy – we only have so much money – we have to take care of our own) and other excuses, (We do our part – let others do theirs) but the bottom line is we fail to seek the 1. Our community is filled with many lost sheep – now is the time we cast aside the excuses and reach out. Each one of us has the power of the Holy Spirit, each one of us has the power of the Word, each one of us has the promise of our faithful Lord to never abandon us – now is the time to share Christ, invite our neighbors to hear the words of eternal life. The shepherd didn’t execute the “lost sheep” plan – he went and searched. The shepherd didn’t wait for the professional shepherd to search for him – he went and searched. The shepherd didn’t do the safe and easy thing – he went and searched. But the shepherd didn’t just search – he found! Let us be bold in our searching. |
AuthorRichard Cohrs Archives
December 2016
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